Little Pearl, the latest offering from the folks behind Rose’s Luxury and Pineapple and Pearls, is closed today, and it’s partially my fault.

They opened for the first time yesterday at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Washington, D.C., a few blocks away from the Pineapple and Pearls Cafe, where as you know, I once ate the entire menu. That venue was shuttered so the team could get ready for their new venture—where on opening day, I intended to once again do the same thing.

While I was likely the only customer who made the attempt, the enthusiasm in the neighborhood ran so high that Little Pearl late last night announced: “We have emptied our cabinets, fridges and cupboards, and have been eaten out of [carriage] house and home. We’re so sorry we can’t host you today. We are taking Sunday December 17 to reorganize … ” They will reopen Tuesday morning—when I hope you’ll be there!

So I apologize for you not being able to head there right now for their pastries and sandwiches, but … I’m really not that sorry. Because I sure had fun yesterday!

When I arrived at around 8:45 a.m. (they opened at 8:00), the line stretched to the front door, though not out the door, and remarkably, I was captured there in a photo taken by Larry Janezich of Capitol Hill Corner.

I wasn’t quite at the end of the line in this pic, as there’s a small front foyer not visible behind me within which a few more customers waited.

I intended to order every available breakfast item, but even though it was less than an hour after opening by the time I got to the front of their line, they’d already sold out of the breakfast wrap of potato, egg, and gruyere in a masa tortilla, as well as the cinnamon toast. (And when I say “every available breakfast item,” yes, I know, I could have ordered some of the sandwiches as well, but I’d planned to return later for lunch, so I figured those could wait.)

So here’s what I ate for breakfast yesterday at Little Pearl— (more…)