The Pearl Restaurant and Bar is more than just a place to enjoy a drink and a meal – it’s an experience in itself. Expect to have your eyes opened to a world of unusual flavours, which, although not to everyone’s tastes, have to be experienced.

The Venue
Pearl Restaurant and Bar can only be described as opulent. A beautiful world of twinkling lights and gleaming surfaces. As soon as you enter you’ll audibly gasp at the sparkling area that expands before you. The bar is to the left, just past the concierge who will take your coat and bags. It’s best to book one of the tables, which are separated by large light installations with glittering, hanging beading to create a feeling of romantic seclusion. Simply stunning.

The restaurant is located to the right of the venue and is even more expansive than the bar. A little interest is added to the usual white-tablecloth laden tables with a light situated underneath, which shines mutely up to add a delicate touch of brightness. Pretty flowers adorn the tables and every effort is made to make sure you enjoy your food in the most beautifully presented surroundings.

The Atmosphere
You can’t help but feel relaxed with all the beauty around you and, far from being pretentious, the staff are warm and friendly. With a genuine love of good food and drink, the staff is on hand to make sure you’re kept smiling. The sommelier and waiters really know their craft and don’t only tell you about each dish or wine in expansive, interesting detail, but also go into their history with anecdotes and facts. You can’t help but get drawn into their world and listen attentively to their every word as they open up your eyes to what goes into each dish and glass. And you really feel it is more than just a job to them – it’s a passion, and you’ll be defied not to get caught up in it.

The Food
This is where the adventure of Pearl Restaurant and Bar really begins. Expect the unexpected and come here with an open mind as to tastes and sensations. Starters include dishes such as thinly sliced turbot with herb risotto and parlourde clams, bringing together recognizable ingredients in unusual ways. The clams are delicious, as is the turbot – light and fresh and thinly sliced – but the risotto challenges the senses. Akin to a rice pudding, it’s difficult to tally up in your mind the sweet, gooey dessert taste with the fish – but it’s an interesting mix that you won’t have experienced anywhere else. Whether you like it or not, you can’t help but be drawn into this world. It’s a place to try – and, if you’ve not had them before – be sure to give the frogs legs a go, they really do taste like chicken and come cutely packaged like tiny drumsticks.

For mains, try the roast saddle of rabbit with truffled baby vegetables and asparagus puree, which comes, as all the food does, wonderfully presented – akin to a piece of artwork. The rabbit kicks some surprises with the liver included and the asparagus puree tastes sweetly strange. It’s basically a case of exploring your plate – finding out what you like and don’t like and combining the different aspects with mouthful after mouthful of flavours and textures, some of which your mind won’t tally with your eyes. Maybe not a hearty, delicious dinner, but certainly an exciting assault on the tastebuds.

There’s also a good choice of desserts, but special mention has to go to the cheese selection. For a £5 supplement you can choose from 25 different world cheeses. The waiter is an expert and will tell you, in detail if you wish, about each one – even going as far as to tell you their history. From the smelly, tangy selections to the mild and creamy, there’s something for everyone. Every Saturday you’ll have a treat in store with a free additional course of candy floss. It may not be the usual upmarket hotel staple but it’s a happy reminder of your childhood and brings smiles and gasps from everyone in the room. The candy floss is delicate and light, beautifully presented on coloured sticks, surrounding one of four centres. The toasted marshmallow is sweet with a delicate burned aftertaste that is altogether pleasant. The lemon centre is similar to a giant lemon fruit pastel, made from a Japanese variety that is half lemon, half orange. It’s a citrus delight that has no bitterness thanks to the sugary sweetness of the floss. The strawberry variety is perhaps the ‘healthiest’ consisting of simple fruit in the centre covered with freeze-dried strawberry dust, but the pierce de resistance is the chocolate profiterole candy floss. It really is as good as it sounds. In the centre is a delicate Valrhona Jivara Lactee chocolate chantilly filled profiterole that bursts open in your mouth. Covered in ever so slightly bitter chocolate flakes, it’s truly divine and a pleasant finale to your meal.

However, if you really want to experience greatness then try Pearl’s beer tasting menu, which is nothing short of incredible. Gone is the usual wine matching, replaced instead with a seven course tasting menu, complete with a bottle of beer for every two people, presented beautifully in a wine glass. Even if you’re not a fan of beer, the light, almost sparkling wine-like L’Aiguille Blanche wheat beer will impress, mixing perfectly with the light flavours of the langoustine. The warm salad of honey roast winter vegetables, watercress, walnut paste and horseradish dressing may sound pretty dull, but never have vegetables challenged the senses so well. Mixed with the light honey flavour with just a slight touch of sweetness, Jenlain Ambree is the perfect accompaniment. The John Dory further tantalises with the best crab cakes you’ll have ever tasted. Light and almost creamy, it works well with the John Dory, which comes apart easily with each movement of the fork. Best of all, however, is the spiced pork belly with scallops, savoy cabbage and caramelised pineapple, matched with an Innis and Gunn beer from Scotland, this dish is by far the best on the menu. The pork, complete with slightly crunchy crackling is as tender and flavoursome as pork has ever been. Who would have thought that scallops and pork would work so well together? Jun Tanaka apparently! One of the best tasting menus in London, bar none, and at just £75 per head including beer it’s worth saving the pennies for!

The Drink
The Pearl Restaurant and Bar has a mouth-watering and eclectic mix of cocktails on offer, which, at around £10 a pop, are excellent value for money. Be sure to try a twist on the old favourite and go for a Morello Mojito – a cherry-infused classic that is fruity and sweet with that typical mojito minty kick. However, all else pales into insignificance when you take a look at the wine menu. There is an unbelievable amount on offer – far outstripping any of its competition and making it easy to see how Pearl Restaurant and Bar has won awards for its wine. Unless there’s something you really want, you’re advised to ask the sommelier for his advice. Friendly and knowledgeable, he’ll really get to the crux of what you will enjoy in a wine. He’ll then mix this with each dish you’ve ordered to come up with a personalised list of glasses of wine to have with each course. It’s highly recommended that you do this rather than order a bottle. Whites, reds, roses and dessert wines come in glass after glass of delicious offerings, each working in unison with your food. Simply mind blowing. And, with a guide to their history, you’ll feel cultured as well as satisfied.

The Last Word
Pearl Restaurant and Bar may not offer up your standard meal, but it delivers a wining and dining experience that turns out to be a real adventure. Even if you don’t enjoy every dish, you’ll leave with a big smile on your face, having experienced new and exciting flavours and combinations that will have enriched your tastebuds. Quite simply, a must.

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