TERRY’S PICKY PALATE / Sublime seafood specialties at Little Pearl, on Olivia Street
BY TERRY SCHMIDA
KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER
I love little neighborhood restaurants. I especially love it when they serve imaginative and fresh local seafood, and other unique specialties from the land, and the fields.
Little Pearl Fish House & Wine Bar at 632 Olivia St., on the corner of Elizabeth Street, is one such restaurant.
Like its sister eateries, Antonia’s and Thirsty Mermaid Raw Bar and Restaurant, Little Pearl occupies its own little niche in the Key West dining scene, focusing on fresh local catch and delicious fare with a tropical twist, all served up in an intimate atmosphere.
My experience at this dinner-only bistro began with their Beets & Chevre salad, which included tender cubes of red and golden beets served atop a bed of whipped chevre, on a sheet of black rock. This was a delicious appetizer and set the stage for the rest of my meal.
Spicy Tuna Tartare Brulee combined sushi-quality tuna, soy gelatin, sesame seeds, and quail egg, for the perfect combination.
An entree special that night was the Cobia Ribs. This unusual delight from the sea was coated with spices, and served alongside a melange of purple cabbage, bok choy, and a sweet and spicy sauce that was to die for.
“You’ll only get the rib if you butcher the fish yourself,” my server told me. “We do. Sometimes we’ll also serve the collar of the fish.”
My final savory dish of the evening was another special. This was a Homemade Fettuccine with duck confit, bacon lardons, English peas, in a sauce au poivre, and topped with a poached egg.
This interesting combination of flavors reminded me somewhat of a seafood carbonara, with noodles that tasted almost like spaetzel. Fantastic!
For dessert I enjoyed a phenomenal slice of flourless Chocolate Cake, which was a perfect way to complete my meal.
Little Pearl more than lived up to its reputation as well as the culinary shoes it had to fill, by opening up in this particular building. The wine list is well suited to the cuisine, and the servers know just what to recommend with specific meals.
Make your reservation today, and prepare for a unique seafood experience that you’ll not soon forget!
Little Pearl Fish House & Wine Bar is open from 5 to 10 p.m. daily. Reservations are strongly recommended. For more information, or to make a reservation, call 305-204-4762 or visit https://
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