on the agenda. We were fairly certain that Brunswick Street had to a greater extent than than only Polly to offering us boozy mixed drinks, together with
this review of Black Pearl, offering non exclusively fancy cocktails but also the world's best chips, gave us a finish for the evening.
It's a cozy together with comfortable house - at to the lowest degree inwards the afternoon. I'm non certain how pleasant it would endure if it was jam packed, but when you lot tin nab a duet of couches inwards the corner for yourself together with chat quietly, it's a fine, relaxed venue. First things first: chips - the nutrient bill of fare wasn't substantial, but included a arrive at of promising items (the feta together with haloumi cigars were high on my list), but nosotros had to brand certain that The Age wasn't lying to us. Exaggerating slightly perchance - although it's difficult to mean value of meliorate chips that we've sampled only about the house (cue Cindy inwards comments listing all the chips that she's preferred to these). The fries ($7) had some variety out of herb seasoning, generous amounts of tabular array salt together with a scrumptious spicy aioli, together with came inwards swell numbers. Enough to pose Cindy off dinner!

The cocktail bill of fare is to a greater extent than substantial: only about 10 'signature drinks', 3 seasonal choices together with a few blackboard specials (the bill of fare also promises that the bar staff volition whip upward any you lot fancy, together with thence don't boundary yourself). It's e'er a difficult choice, together with nosotros spent some fourth dimension tossing upward our options. In the end, Cindy went for i of the seasonal specials: a Pimm's wintertime loving cup ($13), Pimm's No. 1, apple tree juice, fresh ginger juice together with cinnamon, warmed upward on the java steamer together with served upward equally if it was tea. It was warming, fruity together with nicely boozed. H5N1 expert start. I went for a sun Best ($17): Martin Miller's gin, rosemary, mandarin, chilli together with vanilla syrup, lemon juice together with Angostura bitters. This was to a greater extent than citrus together with tang than overpowering booziness, which suited me fine - the chilli didn't get got quite the boot I expected, together with I ended upward drinking this to a greater extent than similar fruit juice than something that cost the toll of a expert meal. Whoops.

Next up, Cindy went for something a chip to a greater extent than desserty - a Caribbean Area Monk ($17): Mount Gay Eclipse, caramel syrup, hazelnut liquer, fresh banana together with lime dusted alongside cinnamon sugar. Something nearly the potable reminded Cindy of unripe banana, which pose her off a little, but in i lawsuit she got a sense of savor for it she quite happily knocked it back.

I decided non to repeat my before error together with went for the most booze-tasting cocktail I could find: the Sazerac ($19): Gentleman Jack, Peychaud's bitters, saccharide together with absinth. This had nearly a 3rd of the liquid of my get-go drink, but took me a lot longer to potable - it mainly tasted of strong. Strong alongside a chip of sugar. Thankfully Cindy had hitting her boundary together with kept me inwards cheque - the primary outcome of a Sazerac seems to endure increased wishing for cocktails. Instead nosotros made our agency piece of cake dwelling for leftovers together with an early on night.

Lazing only about inwards Black Pearl was an expensive but winning agency to pass a Sabbatum afternoon. The staff were incredibly friendly together with helpful, the snacks were great, the venue was comfortable together with booze was plentiful. Still, it prompted a question: Melbourne's got blogs devoted
to coffee,
to breakfast,
to pies,
to wine together with
to vanilla slice, but none devoted to chips or to cocktails. If it wasn't together with thence expensive I'd endure agitating for weekly cocktail together with chips outings only to fill upward the niche.
Address: 304 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9417 0455
Price: Cocktails $13-$19, snacks $5-$16
Most definitely licensed