The answer may lie in a free, digital “gastro-passport” that promotes Pearland as an essential destination for foods from other continents.
The Pearland International Cuisine Trail launched March 11 with seven restaurants on the Bandwango platform but hopes to add many more countries as the trail grows.
“The trail offers a taste of the distinct cultures that make Pearland one of the most diverse and delicious cities in Texas,” said Tracy Rohrbacher, executive director of the Pearland Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB).
“We hope to bring more foodies to Pearland restaurants which in turn generates additional sales tax revenue,” said Rohrbacher. “Of course, Pearland residents will also become more aware of the great culinary finds that are in their own back yard, too.”
Participants are encouraged to check in at multiple restaurants and earn points toward a chance for a quarterly prize.
What: A free, digital passport on the Bandwango platform that spotlights seven Pearland restaurants serving international cuisine.
How it works: Check in at three or more restaurants on the trail to be entered into a quarterly drawing for prizes from the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau.
How to join: Visit visitpearland.com/cuisinetrail.
“The winner will receive fun, foodie-themed swag from our office,” said Rohrbacher.
Currently, the trail features dishes from Malaysia, Taiwan, Italy and the Szechuan province of China. Participating restaurants are: Arabella Mediterranean Kitchen + Grill, 10228 Broadway; Boiling Dragon, 11625 W. Broadway, Suite 135; Sambal Chef Malaysian Restaurant, 9721 Broadway, Suite 103; Santa Barbara Italian Café, 5020 W. Broadway; Spicy Panda, 2110 Pearland Parkway, Suite 188; Super Bowl Asian Cuisine and Tea House, 4310 Bailey Road, Suite 106; and Szechuan Spice, 3422 Business Center Drive, Suite 102.
The culinary offerings range in price from a $4 bowl of wonton soup at Super Bowl to a $17 pizza at Santa Barbara.
Menus depict a blending of cultures from the Middle Eastern flavors found at Arabella to the Asian fusion-fare at Boiling Dragon.
“On the Sambal Chef menu is a traditional Malaysian dish called Nasi lemak, which consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and served alongside sambal ikan bilis (a type of anchovy), curry chicken, peanuts, cucumber and a hardboiled egg,” Rohrbacher said. “The bulgogi fries at Boiling Dragon and the dry hot pot at Szechuan Spice are also must-try items.”
Adventurous patrons can put their palates to the test by registering for the passport at visitpearland.com/cuisinetrail.
The PCVB invites both businesses and community members to email them at [email protected] with Pearland restaurant recommendations.
“This venture is both a fun and interactive way to showcase our destination and an opportunity to encourage visitors to get a taste of what we have to offer in Pearland,” said Rohrbacher. “It’s a passion project for our team and we’re excited to see it unfold.”
Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at [email protected]