ROCKLAND — “The people whose first instinct is to smile when you make eye contact with them are some of the Earth’s greatest treasures.”

Today is the grand reopening of The Oyster Bar at the Pearl (formerly The Pearl), the iconic waterfront restaurant in Rockland and when I walked in this morning, co-owner Linda Novak was in a frenzy to get the restaurant organized by 3 p.m. when they open.

“Hi,” she greeted me with a big smile, even though she didn’t know who I was at first.

That’s when you know a restaurant has a great chance at being successful, when the owner makes you feel valued from the moment you enter the door.

Linda and her partner, Adam Marcus, moved to Maine three years ago from New Orleans. Taking a walk this past spring along the waterfront, they happened to find out from the harbormaster that The Pearl was up for sale and on a whim, she thought about the possibility of opening their own restaurant.

“I was completely taken with it,” she said. “My whole life I’ve worked in the restaurant business, so I opened my big mouth and said, ‘hey, maybe we could take it over.’”

Even though she and Adam were simultaneously renovating their entire house this winter, they undertook the challenge of reopening The Pearl. In about a month, they’ve updated the interior with a nautical theme and some of Linda’s own photographs along seating with crisp white and red directors chairs with blue umbrellas.

“Very all-American Fourth of July,” she said.

Gone are the TVs, which detracted from the stunning harbor views. Instead the ceiling crossbeams have been coated in blackboard paint so customers can see all of the daily specials. They also had the wood-fired oven that sits at the end of the bar upgraded.

The menu is all of Linda’s creation.

“It’s a New Orleans-influenced menu, but it’s not a Cajun menu,” she said. “For example, we’ll have smoked haddock and a scallop and haddock terrine. We’ll be doing po’ boys, such as a barbeque shrimp po’ boy, which is not what you think it is. When you think of BBQ, you think of Memphis sauces, but this is very traditional New Orleans dish, but it doesn’t go anywhere near a barbeque. It’s a combination of olive oil butter, garlic, rosemary and other seasonings.”

They designed the menu to be casual enough to eat at the bar and big enough to be shared by friends, such as their muffaletta sandwich — a entire loaf of bread filled with smoked ham, salami, mortadella, provolone and mozzarella.

“We’re really trying to bring the southern hospitality vibe to a Maine setting,” she said. “In New Orleans, every neighborhood has its own joint, and it’s like the community center. You strike up a conversation with someone at the bar and I think Maine people have that same vibe. This bar is set up for that kind of interaction. You’re not staring at the wall, so we’re really hoping to bring that neighborhood bar feel to the restaurant.”

Meanwhile while Adam remains the “Barbeque Maestro.” At the entrance of the pier, he shows me a BBQ smoker. “I went to college in Texas and fell in love with BBQ then,” he said. “So, I knew I needed to have one. No charcoal will ever be used. It’s all wood fired and the smoke will go out underneath the meat and I can regulate how much smoke with a damper.”

Adam doesn’t use sauces; he uses dry rubs and smokes his ribs for about six hours.

“We’ll serve them with special sauces if the customer wants it, but it’s mean to be savored the way it is when it comes out.”

Oyster fans will also not be disappointed. They source from Pemaquid Oyster Company and Mill Cove.

“We’ll have Pemaquids and Damariscotta Wilds and rotate a section of others each day with oyster specials,” he said.

They’re also open for Happy Hour starting at 3 p.m. each day with a dollar off beers, wines and cocktails.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com