When you think of a fresh fishmonger and high-end deli, a steel shipping container out the front of the servo isn't usually the vision that comes to mind. But, the rustic stylings of Pearly South are a key part of its appeal.
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"A lot of people take photos of themselves when they come in," said manager, Brett Hood.
"There are a lot of Bentleys, a lot of Maseratis that park out the front there. I think they go back to Melbourne, Canberra or Sydney, and on Monday on their coffee break at the Department of Defence, they go, 'I can't believe we got this seafood from this place.'"
Pearly South is the second of three fish-focused businesses owned by the Hood family: the Pearly Oyster Bar in Batemans Bay, and the much-loved Fish Shop in Burrill Lake.
While some of Pearly South's produce comes from the Sydney Fish Markets, much of it is sourced from local businesses.
"A lot we get through local co-ops like Eden or Ulladulla for example, and sometimes through specific trawlers," Brett said.
"Sometimes someone will call up and say, 'I've got a really good deal on snapper. I've got a heap of snapper. I'll give them to you for nine bucks a kilogram.' Because it's a one-off thing, we sell them all fresh. We never freeze them."
Part of the Hood's familiarity with everything piscine comes from growing up on the South Coast, and having lifelong relationships with the fishing community.
"All those guys we went to school with at Ulladulla - the Puglisis, the Grecos, the Musumecis - they all own trawlers," Brett said.
"We've known them for pretty much our whole life. They're all up and down the coast now."
While Pearly South regularly stocks staples like snapper and flathead, the Hoods follow the seasons for some lesser-known varieties.
"Monkfish, or Stargazer as we call it here, that's one we try and have in all the time. It's an awesome fish, really flexible," said Brett.
"Sardines are becoming more and more popular. One person will try it, and they come back once or twice a week. They are a beautiful fish, very underrated."
Not everything in the store is fresh-caught, however, In his former life as a sailor with the Royal Australian Navy, Brett developed a passion for conservas, tinned seafood from Spain and Portugal.
Pearly South stocks an admirable range of high-end mussels, anchovies, octopus, all canned fresh from the boat and packed in olive oil or brine.
"$50 for a can of oysters is pretty full-on, but they're worth it," Brett said.
"If you're putting together a hamper for someone who's got everything, maybe that's something you can do."
Along with seafood, Pearly South sells a select variety of fresh produce: fruit and vegetables from local growers, pickles and charcuterie, Tilba Cheese and fresh baguettes from Lagom.
"I'd like to continue getting a little bit more with local fresh produce," Brett said.
"My idea is to have maybe another fridge here, where I can have fish on one side and produce on that side that I think would go with it. It's like a weekly meal idea based on what's local."
Although Brett has only been in the fishmonger business for a couple of years, his knowledge of produce comes from a passion for cooking.
"Where it comes in handy is that I like experimenting at home with food and have for 30-odd years," he said.
"So when someone comes in and says, 'I don't want flathead again, but we're having four people over for dinner, what are we going to do that's not going to cost $100?' I know what to tell them."
