Tucked between the white facades of Kings Road, opposite the West Pier, down a few unassuming steps, lives a sultry, moody, velvet-lined restaurant. Pearly Cow has drawn in foodies for terrace drinks and an impressive à la carte this summer, but what were we really there for? Steak Night.
Every Wednesday, you’ll find the kitchen serving three indulgent courses with a cocktail menu to match. Steak lovers might just be in it for the main event, in which case, the local cut with fries, sauce and a side for £22 is quite a hard one to miss.
Speakeasy Vibes & Summer Cocktails
Wine with steak may seem the natural choice, but having fully taken to the speakeasy-style interior, we went for cocktails. The Kentucky & Kiwi was snappy and refreshing, smoky bourbon notes coming through between dashes of ginger and mint. A delicious Peach Please was a tall glass of summer- punchy, sweet, and fruity without any overpowering syrupy-ness.
Silky Roe & Elemental Butters
With the arrival of starters, we were well and truly on our way. I’m a huge smoked cod roe lover, having decided on that as soon as I saw it on the menu. It lived up to expectations with a decadently silky mouthfeel, accompanied by a zippy dill oil.
Crusty, warm flatbread was the perfect vessel. Freshly Baked Bread with Beef Dripping Butter echoed a slightly more elemental dish. The butter was smooth, with the assertive meatiness of the dripping taking the forefront. After polishing off our starters (which were quite sizeable, by the way!) we knew to look forward to a great second course.
Trenchmore Farm Beef: The Main Event
While the usual cut is rump heart, on this evening we were served bavette from none other than Trenchmore Farm, an incredible regenerative farm in West Sussex which supplies many of Brighton’s best loved.
Supporting local is now more important than ever, so to see not only local ingredients but their producers actually on the menu makes all the difference.
Served on very aptly badged crockery, they came gleaming with a lovely sear, right next to towering fries and a mini (but hefty) saucepan of our chosen sauces. Cutting into the lean bavette revealed a perfectly pink temperature, complemented nicely by the slight crisp on the outer edge. The care that went into rearing and cooking this cut was apparent, and that’s coming from a notorious steak sceptic.
Pour-Overs, Sauces & Mandatory Fry-Soaking
For a slightly lighter, zestier bite, go for the chimichurri. Made with garlic, olive oil, and a mix of herbs, it clung to every fibre in the steak and coated my fries wonderfully. If you like to stick with the classics, peppercorn all the way. After a dramatic pour-over, it pooled in the plate, its richness combining with the tender meat. Of course, fries then soaked in all remaining juices is an absolutely mandatory part of a meal like this.
A lightly dressed leaf salad with both red and green tomatoes picked us up from what was almost an incapacitating food coma, and creamed spinach brought us right back into it. The salad leaves had just the right kind of snap, and spinach, yet another classic steak side, really let the steak have its moment. After all that, we weren’t sure we could manage dessert. But then, we’d have been silly not to. After a 10-minute break, that is.
Dessert Cocktails & Intimidating Mousses
In the meantime, I got started on the West Pear: a sweet, herbaceous combination of pear-infused Pisco, Italicus, and Prosecco and, coincidentally, my ideal dessert cocktail. Two absolutely ginormous chocolate mousses were placed in front of us, plus some mildly intimidating ramekins of toppings. Monogrammed with the Pearly Cow logo, the mousses were almost too pretty to dig into.
Almost.
A few spoonfuls of biscuit crumbs, meringue, and toffee chunks later, we had to go for it.
Layers of dark cocoa powder, airy mousse, and soft cream all shone one by one, leaving us in desperate need of a lie-down.
And sadly, unable to finish them. Note: if your server suggests you share one, you should probably listen. Safe to say we exited Pearly Cow both satisfied and outrageously stuffed. Steak Night at Pearly Cow is a great opportunity to try a fantastic cut of local beef cooked and served well with some pretty spectacular accompaniments. Plus, 3 courses at just £32 puts it right in line with some of the best set menus in Brighton.
