Pearl

OMG MELBOURNE… I think I just found one of the biggest hidden gems in Dandenong South. Tucked away in a modern industrial estate, Pearl by P&D serves elevated Sri Lankan fusion food in the most beautiful luxe setting. The second we walked in, I was honestly blown away — classy interiors, moody lighting and the perfect vibe for date night or even a family dinner. We started with this spicy mango cocktail and WOW… sweet, spicy and so refreshing. Then came the food and every dish just kept getting better. The sizzling Ceylon chilli fried calamari, deep fried mushrooms tossed in spicy butter sauce, lime burnt corn ribs, veg kotu and string hopper kotu were all packed with flavour and honestly reminded me so much of home. But the absolute star of the night was the lamb shank curry roast pan. The meat was falling off the bone, the curry was rich and spicy and paired with soft bread to soak up every bit of sauce… chef’s kiss. We finished with homemade ice cream and caramel pudding and already know we need to come back for the crab curry and Lanka milk tea. If you’re in Melbourne’s southeast and looking for a new spot that feels elevated yet comforting, Pearl by P&D needs to be on your list.

Pearl by P and D was such a beautiful experience. The ambience and whole set up was stunning — loved the ocean theme they had going on, especially the gorgeous pink shell-themed plates. We tried the bone marrow, which seemed to be a crowd favourite, but surprisingly it ended up being our least favourite dish of the night. The real star for us was the corn on the rib — SO flavourful and the sauce was honestly magic. The chicken kothu with chilli oil was absolutely delicious too. That chilli oil was so good we literally asked the waitress if we could buy some. For drinks, we had the Ceylon Sunset and the Smoked Wood Apple Sour, and both were amazing. Ended the meal with the wattalappan, which was the perfect dessert to finish everything off. Such a great experience overall and would definitely go back again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just had lunch with my wife to celebrate her birthday at Pearl by P&D, and we truly enjoyed every moment. The authentic Sri Lankan dishes were absolutely delicious, with spice levels adjusted perfectly to our preference. A special mention to Ruth and the Pakistani waitress who looked after us, their service was tremendous, attentive, and genuinely warm. The food, service, and ambience were all outstanding. We were really impressed and would highly recommend Pearl by P&D to anyone looking for authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, along with some excellent fusion options as well.

Came here for dinner and ordered a number of dishes to try: - Ceylon chilli calamari (full size): the stir fried squid was tender, coated with a fragrant chilli and a familiar sweet and sour flavour which was tasty - Garlic popcorn chicken: the chicken was battered and fried, served with fried curry leaves, fried garlic cloves, and chilli aioli dip. Flavour was good especially with the garlic cloves but the meat was a little dry - Lankan lime softshell crab: the crab was pretty big with a nice crispy batter that didn't feel greasy. Not sure if I enjoyed the sauce which taste diluted - Chilli garlic prawn pasta: the pasta included a few prawns and cherry tomatoes with grated cheese on top. Linguini was cooked well, not too soft and the sauce was creamy with a bit of heat - Crab and crust: a whole blue swimmer crab is included in the curry. The curry was mild but fragrant and paired well with the thick cut crispy bread brushed with garlic butter and some coconut sambol which was sweet and not too spicy - Pork pol roti: pork meat was tender but the spiced gravy was too salty and the coconut roti was hard and dense rather than having a crispy exterior and soft centre. The side of sambol chilli was very spicy - Beef kotthu: the kotthu has a similar texture to stir fry rice noodles, also quite salty but tasted pretty good with the diced beef and a little bit of chilli paste. The chilli oil on the side was very spicy Overall a pretty decent meal; enjoyed some dishes more than others. Highlights were the crab and crust, chilli garlic prawn pasta, and the ceylon chilli calamari.