Ten years on, this pioneering gem punches well above its nominal café status – even at breakfast, when your omelette might arrive loaded with local spanner crab. As the sun sets, proceedings ratchet up further. Uplights accentuate the narrow, bistro-style room with its raw brickwork and bentwood chairs. A clipped but clever wine list offers by-the-glass enticement and personable staff make well-informed pairing suggestions. A meaty, lightly charred tentacle of Fremantle octopus unfussily curled around a salad of shaved fennel and grapefruit typifies Pearl’s no-ego, produce-led philosophy, the salad’s liquorice-citrus notes complementing the briny flesh. Roast chicken benefits from the same no-fuss approach, its skin well seasoned and crisp, the flesh juicy and gently flavoured with thyme. Baked delights grace the bar, but berries with marshmallow-soft meringue, ginger granita and lemon cream present an even finer finish.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Wine: ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
Pearl Café
28 Logan Rd Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD Australia
