Friday, September 19, 2008

The Point (Albert Park)

The Point is unusual in Melbourne for having a view so if the foods not to your liking you can look out the window! For most however Scott Pickett's French influenced dishes are just fine. He has an extensive range of steaks, who hasn’t these days – including 300 day grain fed and wagyu, and a small range of fish and fowl.
After Oysters in ponzu jelly and baby coriander, we settled down to a small dish of olives before an entrée of butter poached Western Australian marron, foie gras and chicken liver parfait, apple jelly and Sauterne reduction. This was an extremely pleasing entrée each part having its’ own flavour and the Sauterne reduction quite excellent even though there was so little of it. To follow we had a croustard of duck, creamed cavalo nero and golden raisins. The menu originally said pheasant but the pheasant season had ended suddenly three days ago! The flavour of the shredded flesh was somewhat diminished in the crisp pastry case but it was quite a pleasant second entrée. For main we had 300 day grain fed Wagyu sirloin (score 8) from Yambinya NSW, with a sauce Bordelaise and lightly cooked green beans. I would have been happy with a larger serve of the sirloin but the Bordelaise had been burnt which spoilt an otherwise excellent dish. A dessert of pain perdu, caramelized banana, glass biscuit, Pedro Ximenez and bitter chocolate sorbet was a rich end to the meal. This was followed by coffee and petit fours. This was close to being a really excellent meal but it just missed out at several places. Certainly worth another visit.
We drank a number of wines provided by the Chaine des Rotisseurs of which the Andre Clouet NV Rose was most popular.
Comment: I once got so lost looking for this restaurant that I went home without getting there. It can be difficult to find but it's worth looking for, and finding, it.
Score: 14-5/20

1 comment:

Jon! said...

Had dinner at The Point last Thursday and must say I had a near faultless dining experience. I also nearly got lost finiding the place, parking up the road and getting into a panick but I'm so glad I did - definitely under rated in my opinion, a sensational meal was had with genrous portions.