Pearl + Co — Restaurant in Hobart

After a week in Tassie giving pretty much everyone 5 stars this is the first 1 star I have EVER given - let me explain the reasons why and let me apologise for being one of those whiney reviewers I hate…

Our booking was for 8.45pm - we got a phone call at 8.25pm telling us our table would be ready BUT the kitchen was closing at 9pm…. We arrived and, as instructed by the signs, waited to be seated, after waiting for 5 minutes and being ignored by everyone, knowing now that the kitchen was shutting in 20 minutes I walked in and asked if we could get the table we reserved…. The look I got for not continuing to wait had me wanting to walk out but it was our 32 year anniversary so I didn’t want to make a fuss We got seated at a postage stamp size table where my seat was in the middle of the walkway…. It took 10 minutes to get the bottle of wine I ordered for us, which arrived as a glass so they had to go back and actually get the requested bottle… and we were then rushed as the kitchen was wanting to shut to order our meal - thankfully we had already decided before we got there that Tassie seafood being so awesome we had to get the seafood platter - that leads to issue 5 Looking at the menu I noted the “seafood platter” was a tasting plate at best, so I asked if I could pay extra to the $140 price to actually get a Tassie Crayfish or Tassie Crab Tassie some other crayfish / shellfish like a Morton bay bug. I was pointedly told no you get what you get… 4 tiny oysters 4 small prawns etc arrived - probably the weakest seafood platter we had ever had (and we eat a seafood platter as often as we can whether we travel nationally or internationally) but again in an attempt not to ruin the night I continued to bite my tongue to make sure my wife had the best night possible for our anniversary I asked if we could at least have a dessert and was told they only had 2 items left and no the coffee machine was off so no tea or coffee and definitely no drinks (they had been packing up around us from 9.01pm so clearly had better places to go) We did get the bill within nano seconds of asking for it… $275 spent that would have been better spent at any other of the amazing places in the area that have delighted us breakfast, lunch and dinner during our trip.

Maccas would have been better (and I despise fast food)

So all in all the only reason this place got 3 stars for service despite almost all being barely a 1 star was one young lady who was really pleasant and sweet when clearing the “platter” and went into bat for us at 9.05pm for us to be able to have any choice for a dessert (the Eatons mess was VERY average at best and clearly the last of the ingredients they hadn’t thrown out yet)

Again I hate to sound like one of those whiney reviewers, it was a recommendation from friends both interstate and locals from Hobart who recommended it and I am now trying to work out how to break it to them that it’s REALLY gone downhill without breaking their hearts at making the worst recommendation to a restaurant we...

While planning my first ever visit to Hobart/ Nipaluna for Dark Mofo 2023, I searched online for the “best oysters in Tasmania.” As soon as I saw the stunning Unholy Oyster Trinity on an Instagram post, I made a reservation at Pearl +Co. My experience exceeded expectations: the staff were lovely and attentive, and the Black Pearl menu was a perfect balance of sweet and savoury indulgence. Seated indoors, with an excellent view of the serene water, at a table close enough to watch chefs at work, my friends and I enjoyed some delicious cocktails. The Hellfire Caramel Martini was literally the yummiest espresso martini I’ve ever had, I still regret not getting another. Pearl +Co.’s Unholy Oyster Trinity concept was cleverly embodied through each enticing oyster. I tried them in the same order as listed on the menu. The oyster with ponzu and soy pearls had such depth of flavour - and sang like a siren straight from the depths in the best way possible. The beetroot, mandarin and yuzu oyster was vibrant in colour and flavour - sweet and zesty on the palate. My final oyster, the tosazu dressed, yuzu granita with parsley oil was rich with a lovely umami, subtly smoky and refreshing citrus flavour. The oysters themselves were divinely creamy and complimented by each of the garnishes. The Salmon Pyre was seductive and striking. It was a beautifully cooked beetroot+miso marinated salmon fillet, accompanied by pickled white onion, spicy beetroot pasta, and a creamy yet light beurre blanc sauce. Drunken Pear, almost Dionysian in its ecstasy, was a dessert to remember. I have nothing but admiration for this stunning red wine poached Tasmanian pear, rum baba & anglaise. Black Pearl was a fresh, light and satisfying seasonal menu by Pearl + Co. — & what an adorable name for a restaurant ！I will be back next time I visit Tassie...

My partner and I had dinner here last night and were overwhelmingly disappointed with the experience.

The overall ambiance was lovely walking in, we then stood at the ‘wait to be seated’ area, waiting to be acknowledged - which was a while. When we were eventually attended to, the waitress asked us to come to her and quickly rushed us to a table.

We waited for around 10 minutes to place an order because no one came to us, we had to tell the waitress we were ready. After ordering, my partner explained to the waitress that he has some allergies and the waitress seemed to have limited knowledge regarding if the kitchen could accomodate for this and had to go back and forth between the kitchen to update her understanding. It was made to feel like more of an inconvenience rather than something that could be accommodated for, as we were just told some of the items we ordered were unsuitable, with no intent of offering alternatives… we had to come up with our own solution. Allergies are common with customers, restaurants and staff should be trained to know how to accomodate to these requests.

The natural and smoked salmon oysters + oysters shots + sashimi were very fresh, highlight of the meal. The chips were tasteless, needed lots of the aioli to make it palatable. The market of the day fish was cooked perfectly but had no flavour. The chips and fish meal lacked love and effort in not only flavours but also presentation. We don’t pay nearly $200 at a restaurant only for the quality of food but also for the dining experience and the convenience of eating out. This experience felt like a hassle and we considered walking out twice because it didn’t feel like the staff were very attentive and we were left trying to guess what was going on… The meal was that unfulfilling that we went through KFC on...