Red Pearl is an intimidating place to visit for two reasons. One is the location—it’s tucked away on a backroad in a near-deserted area of Homewood, next to an auto shop I have never seen a living person in, and across from an abandoned office building haunted by ancient “for sale” signs. The restaurant itself doesn’t even seem out of place in these surroundings, with its nondescript crème exterior and one rickety sign boasting the name of the restaurant in both English and Chinese.

Once you’re inside, however, Red Pearl becomes overwhelming for an entirely different reason. The front of the shop serves as a Chinese grocery store, with the restaurant merely attached on the side—thus, your first steps into Red Pearl are greeted with the pseudo-neon screaming of the snack aisle, the unfamiliar bouquets of non “American’ produce, and just around the corner, out of sight, but not out of smell, the meat section, silently boasting a proud collection of fish.

However, just past the entrance, off to the right, is the proverbial magic wardrobe. Here, the small, dingy market opens up into a dim, pseudo-elegant, incredible-smelling restaurant. The entryway is flanked on either side by liquors in glass displays cases, accented with wrought-iron inspired decorations. This is the theme the entire restaurant is based around, repeating in the seating area and highlighted by dim yellow lighting and red furniture. The combination of these things creates a restaurant that feels like it is trying to present itself as both sophisticated and hole-in-the-wall-esque.

Red Pearl’s menu is printed in a binding you could lift weights with. It spans several pages, featuring a variety of dishes catering to diners looking for both Chinese foods and Chinese inspired foods. My table catered to both of these, ordering the more traditional beef chow ho fun, as well as the sesame chicken. Our short wait was made pleasant by the flat screen TV airing Fox Sports over our heads.

Our dishes arrived piping hot, the chow ho fun still glistening with oil and the rice accompanying the sesame chicken visibly steaming. This was my first time trying the chow fun, and while it does lack some visual appeal, it more than makes up for it in taste.

The dish is a uniform color, with the exception of some carrots and scallions, but has a warm, thick flavor. The beef strips were tender and delicious, made heartier with the addition of egg and cabbage, and the flavor was ramped up by a smooth, savory sauce and thick onion wedges. The rice noodles boasted a deceptively interesting texture, making them one of the chief joys of eating this dish. Combined, these ingredients made a warm, filling comfort food that would not feel unfamiliar at a Waffle House or as an early morning hangover cure.

The sesame chicken was equally delicious, if less complex. The chicken itself was not dry, coated in a lovely breading and a sweet sesame sauce. The side of rice was fluffy and fresh, and didn’t become sticky until our meal was nearing its close. When it comes to safe, American friendly foods that still retain quality, Red Pearl’s sesame chicken is the prime example.

This, in itself, is Red Pearl’s best quality. There is nothing inauthentic about their cuisine or their mission, as evidenced by the fish heads near the front entrance and the Peking duck on the menu. Despite this intimidating exterior, and what on the outside appears to be a lack of cultural assimilation, Red Pearl is wonderfully accessible, accommodating, and American friendly. For quality Chinese or American Chinese food, I highly recommend a visit to Red Pearl—if you can find it, that is.