Thomas Boyce IN at Joey Harrington’s Pearl Tavern

Describing Pearl Tavern as “a manly sports bar-meets-steak-house-y tavern that never got off the ground,” PoMo’s Karen Brooks delivers word that Thomas Boyce is IN as executive chef at the restaurant, replacing opening chef Roscoe Roberson (Racion, Cooper’s Hall).

Boyce spent nine years as chef de cuisine at Los Angeles’s Spago (a current member of the Eater LA 38), before moving to Portland to lead the Bluehour kitchen in 2011. In a surprise chefshuffle, he was replaced by Dolan Lane at Bluehour within a year and a half, and while he’s since done some menu consulting, the chef has kept his activities pretty quiet in recent years. He’s married to all-star Portland baker Kim Boyce of Bakeshop.

Pearl Tavern has received mixed reviews since opening last year, but it hasn’t been totally panned or anything — although neither the O or PoMo have deemed the restaurant worthy of a full restaurant review. Brooks seems to be holding out hope for the space, with this latest announcement.

The biggest change to the Pearl Tavern menu is a more focused approach befitting a tavern or pub, so expect a smaller selection of more carefully sourced and prepared steaks and revamped burgers and salads. Brunch will reportedly bring Dutch baby pancakes and “yeasted waffles,” too.

• Pearl Tavern [Official Site]
• Former Spago and Bluehour Chef Thomas Boyce Takes Over Pearl Tavern Kitchen [PoMo]
• All Previous Pearl Tavern Coverage [EPDX]