Pearl Restaurant + Bar
631 – 633 Church Street
Richmond Victoria 3121
w
www.pearlrestaurant.com.au
e
eat@pearlrestaurant.com.au
t +61 3 9421 4599
f +61 3 9421 0908
open Dinner 7 days, lunch Sunday to Friday, bar 7 days 9.00 am till 11.00 pm, brunch Saturday and Sunday
FOOD Geoff Lindsay is a genius. His food is so exquisitely
pared back to the bones of taste and has a look that is defined minimalism
in the best way. His food is art on a plate and unlike most attempts at food
art combinations delivers on all levels. Add a brilliant wine list and Pearl
remains on of the finest and most eclectic dining experiences in Melbourne.
Staff are opinionated (not haughty or rude), always reassuring that they actually know what the food tastes like. Our food waiter was quick with wine suggestions and deeply reverent with admiration at our extravagance when handling the wine list (unlike our bank managers). It is a seductive list with excellent by the glass choices, but some bottles were irresistible and mostly marked up.
Three, we shared everything. To start one small criticism that can be easily avoided. Their excellent bread came served with some citrus oil infused olive oil, which sullied their bread and temporarily spoiled out palates. Quickly corrected their standard oil was excellent and came accompanied by two different types of butter as proof of their kitchen’s integrity. Seared yabby, Hervey Bay scallop and calamari was sweet with fresh seafood, lightly flavoured with lemon and Thai basil it came with the barest hint of chilli. A perfectly balanced dish it was wonderful. Salad of broad beans, buffalo milk fetta and butter lettuce came with a smattering of peeled broad beans, slices of roasted golden beets and a single anchovy that would have been easily avoided for NANO type diners (no olive, no anchovy). The menu did say lemon oil, but if it was used it was unobtrusive in this dish. Sichuan spiced calves liver layered with soft rice noodles was a masterpiece of simplicity and whilst not really Sichuan in as much as it didn’t numb your mouth with chilli, pepper and MSG it was great.
Steak Tartare is a favourite dish but the concept that it’s not
mixed at the table without the diner’s contribution or direction is a struggle.
None the less, we can never resist ordering it. Dressed in a tutu of tiny red–stemmed
beetroot leaves, it was garnished with a raw quail’s egg yolk and buttered
(praise the lord) toast soldiers. Amazingly it was perfect for our taste and
left us wondering was Geoff Lindsay a mind reader? If you have never tried pearl
meat (or even if you have in China) their Wok fried pearl meat is a
house specialty and an excellent dish well worth trying.
Desserts were scrumptious. Turkish delight and rose petal ice cream came pretty on the plate, studded with pomegranate seeds, tiny cubes of glace ginger and a mountain of Persian fairy floss. Although an ingredient we just don’t get, in this instance it worked well with the ice cream and was a delicious combination. Nougat and orange blossom with almond milk jelly and leatherwood honey labna was restrained perfection. The darling of desserts was a dish of genius. Crispy fried taro dumplings stuffed with Valrohna chocolate, came in a compartmented black plate, swimming in vanilla custard topped with fluttering gold leaf. It was stunning! This restaurant is consistently fabulous and comes highly recommended.
WINE Pearl has a remarkable wine list, that is long and seductive; the type of list that can cause credit card melt down. Glassware and service match the list and there are ample by&$8211;the–glass choices.
PEARL ON THE PEAK
Maxim’s Group, Pearl on the Peak, is their flagship restaurant.
Located within the refurbished Peak Tower, Pearl on the Peak has 27O° views of the city and delivers a superb fine dining experience by offering mouth-watering cuisine, a spectacular and unique wine selection and impeccable service. One of Hong Kong’s most exciting, fun and fashionable destinations, it celebrates the diversity and character of Hong Kong with a clean, sharp and contemporary.
To make a reservation Pearl on the Peak, Tel: (852) 2101 1268 or (852) 6440 1524
