The Point Albert Park

Favourite Mel restaurant!!! Great ambience and amazing food. Best view in the city :)

One of the main selling point for this restaurant is definitely the view, so take advantage and go when you can actually enjoy it. Unlike me, arriving there on a rainy evening I really didn’t get to enjoy any view outside. Much of it was pitch black haha
Service was lovely, the host even offered to go and top up our parking meter. Being a heavily rainy night, we don’t want to put her in the position but appreciated the gesture.
Our meal was good and on par for the price however one visit is enough for me. The reason being that although I was there a few weeks ago, I don’t remember exactly what we had :/​which usually means nothing was a stand out.

WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE ABOUT TO HAPPEN!
I had booked this restaurant as a special night out with my partner on a surprise trip to Melbourne.
We were booked for a table at 8:30pm. I always go for a later seating time as I also work in a busy restaurant and know that an early seating can be limited and even a little rushed to make way for the next bookings. We were wondering if The Point had a bar area as well, where guests could enjoy a pre dinner cocktail — a lot of places do, this isn’t uncommon. Not being able to find any information online, we decided to just go to the restaurant and see.
We arrived at 8:10 and were greeted by the manager. I said I know that we are early but we were wondering if there was a bar area where we could enjoy a drink before dinner. Looking utterly shocked, he motioned towards the dining area and said «I have a restaurant, not a bar» He offered us a little table in the balcony area but said it was windy. He then said if the table was ready, we could sit down and have a drink there. I agreed with him and said if the table was ready, we’d love to be seated. He checked and informed us that it was ready but he wouldn’t be able to get the menus to us for some time as they were in service. Never heard anything so ridiculous. Being a little shocked by his welcome, we didn’t think quick enough to question this.
So we were seated in the middle of the dining area next to the window. The manager appeared and lapped us and put the drinks menu on the table. We were then completely IGNORED for 20 MINUTES despite us having clearly selected a drink from the list, menu closed, looking around at all the staff trying to get someone’s attention. At 8:30 on the dot — you know, when we should have turned up — the manager appears and smiling asks if we’d like to order. I order champagne and my partner a martini. My glass is replaced and my partner instantly says «there’s a fly in it» the manager ignores this and starts pouring. I can see the dead fly swimming in champagne and rising up the glass. When the glass gets half full I point at it and say What is that? The manager huffs and removes the glass. A second later reappearing with a new one. He sigs and says to us nonchalantly «that’s the perils of dining in a waterside restaurant»
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK MANAGER DOUCHEBAG!
So we sit there for a further 10 minutes before the martini turns up. Perhaps the manager had to get it shipped from another location, he does afterall «have a restaurant, not a bar»
We get halfway thru our drinks and by this point we have been there for 45 minutes, haven’t been offered a menu and been made feel like absolute shit. Finally a waitress appears and asks if we would like to see the menu. We inform her no and that we’re going to leave. We explain why and she tries to defend the managers behavior, I tell her that I work in a restaurant and there is absolutely no excuse for the way he spoke to us and for us to be ignored for so long. We ask for our jackets and get up from the table.
Sidenote, we pass manager douchebag again as we are headed to get our jackets and he doesn’t even acknowledge us or enquire what the issue is. FUCK YOU
We were opting to do the 8 course degustation menu with the matching wines but as soon as we arrived we were looked down on and treated so disgustingly that and made to feel absolutely worthless.
If you like to be treated so condescendingly and be talked down to, then this is the perfect place for you. If you want good service, which is just as important as good food IMHO, go ANYWHERE ELSE as nowhere in Melbourne could be as bad as this place.
Disgraceful, but the staff are so far up their own arses they don’t even care.

The food looks amazing, but sadly we didn’t get to try it because we walked out before ordering due to the dreadful service we received.
We had booked a table for 8:30, but arrived early at 8:10. We were greeted by perhaps the floor manager and asked if we could have a drink at the bar. His response was «I don’t have a bar; I have a restaurant», but he did tell us that our table was ready, and we could have a drink although they «wouldn’t be able to get menus to us for a while»
We were seated, and the drinks menu was left on the table, but we were then ignored completely for twenty minutes. At exactly 8:30 the floor manager returned and offered us a drink. My partner ordered a glass of champagne — he couldn’t remember the name but recalled it was the second on the list, but the floor manager looked perplexed and offered no assistance in identifying the drink. I ordered a wet martini. The champagne was brought quickly, but I waited ten minutes for my drink (which was announced as a wet and dirty martini when it arrived).
Shortly afterwards the menus were brought to us, but by this point we were so unhappy. We had not been made to feel welcome in any way, I had waited over half an hour for a drink, and we generally felt we were being spoken down to at every interaction, and we decided to leave. On the way out we did pass the floor manager, who again ignored us, did not acknowledge that we were leaving and offered no apology.
We do enjoy fine dining and we were looking forward to some excellent food and wine, but we do know that the best fine dining experiences come with effortless service and a warm, friendly welcome. This is not what what we got, and however good the food would have been, it could not have made up for this unacceptable level of service.
Having said that, if you do enjoy being served by pretentious staff who think they are better than you, look down their noses at you and treat your presence as an inconvenience, you will find The Point to be the perfect venue for this.

I disagree with those who say The Point Albert Park is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne.
The décor and architecture inside this place is nothing special. I was quite disappointed actually. It has a simple reception style décor. The restaurant is located in front of the Albert Park Lake. Depending on the day or night, the view may be nice to look at. Unfortunately, the view was far from spectacular that night. I assume that the view and location is contributes to the price and reputation of this place.
I can see that this place can be a suitable venue for a wedding function as there is a separate big dining function room. Personally, this isn’t my personal preference in terms of architecture and space. The actual restaurant is quite small, narrow and not as extravagant as I expected.
There were many other couples that night. I personally wouldn’t recommend this place for date night as there are other better places to take someone on a date. Then again, the view might be more appealing during the day or during summer night.
My partner and I started with a dozen of natural oysters with lemon. Half a dozen of St Helens Tasmania and half of Coffin Bay (which is actually my favourite oysters). The oysters were ok, and was not cold enough. It was room temperature or as if the oysters were sitting in the kitchen bench for a while. I believe natural oysters served at a fine dining restaurant should be served cold, not warm.
I had the Seared rock lobster, veal sweetbread, Parmesan gnocchi and crêpe sauce. It was a standard sized meal for a fine dining restaurant, but if you’re big eater or prefer a pub sized meal then you’ll be disappointed with this dish. It was actually a good sized meal for me. The lobster meat was delicious and meaty, the parmesan gnocchi was soft, fresh and had a cheesy (not overpowering) taste upon first bite. The veal was tougher than the lobster and had a slightly burnt bitter taste. This was a good contrast to the rest of the dish which is quite delicate including the crêpe sauce. It was a fine dish but I wouldn’t order this dish again because I’ve had more memorable and scrumptious lobster dishes as a main. As for the presentation, it was average and expected more creativity for the price tag and the reputation of this restaurant.
My partner ordered the David Blackmore wagyu steak which was listed on the menu. He requested for the steak to be cooked medium. Upon the arrival of his steak with no explanation of the steak so we assumed it was the David Blackmore wagyu plate, parsley and beetroot my partner ordered from the menu. The presentation was simple without any WOW factor. My partner said it was good steak but slightly too salty for his liking. I had several bites and was in love. In my opinion it was very delicious with a slight charcoaled outer taste and tender meat inside.
Along with the steak and lobster as our main, we had the Cauliflower, bearnaise sauce and gruyère.
We shared dessert and had the Pear soufflé, Poire William and Champagne sorbet. Once again, presentation was average but the taste was amazing. The soufflé was soft and fluffy on the top and syrupy at the bottom with obvious sweetness from the pear. The champagne sorbet was perfect, cold, smooth and does not have that typical strong sweet or sour sugary sorbet taste.
The bill arrived for a much high total than we expected. It turns out there was a hiccup somewhere between the waiter and the kitchen or waiter and the manager. I won’t go into specific dollars but I will say we were charged for an item that wasn’t even on the menu and was more expensive. Luckily, my partner enjoyed his steak (except for the slight saltiness) so was happy to pay. Personally, I think there’s a problem when between 3 – 4 people cannot get an order right.
Overall, the food delivers on quality and taste, but lacks creativity in terms of plating. So I can see how this restaurant is rated on their food but The Point Albert Park needs to work on their communication and customer service. The food is pricey but you will get quality produce. Whether it is worth the money, you’ll have to judge it for yourself. Personally, I’ll save my money for other places in the future because I don’t believe in paying for fine food with not so fine service.

Sunday Lunch
Arriving a full hour before our booking, I apologised and they sat us at our table. No fuss just a welcome. I like restaurants that are happy to accomodate.
The menu was full of wonderful choices. It included the dessert menu so I could plan ahead! So given the desserts all sounded wonderful.
Ordered: Oysters (Coffin Bay), 300g Scotch Fillet from Tasmania.
First off came the amuse bouchee. It was very nice, but the waiter placed it down and said somebody else would explain it. Nobody came so ½ star lost.
Next came the oysters. They were very nice, but some were small — ½ star lost.
The steak was cooked to perfection and the sides included duck fat potatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower & cheese and mixed leaves.
So after all of this … yes I have some space for dessert.
Chocolate Fondant with honeycomb and violet sorbet. A really nice mix and the sorbet helped to tone down the chocolate.
Overall a good dining experience and I would happily return.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful Christmas lunch! The service was exemplary, the food plentiful and delicious. My family and I enjoyed ourselves very much.

Most impressed with the service and excellent steak. Very memorable experience. June 10, 2013

Two or three times a year a few mates and I do our best to select somewhere within Victoria we can meet up, enjoy a long lunch over good food and great wine. This time Max picked The Point, and it did not disappoint. Without the pretension of a food blogger, suffice to say, we all chose the Degustation menu ($ 150) which had the perfect balance across the 8 courses, and with the ability to make changes if desired. Host Bryan Lloyd adds the right balance of class and warmth to guests, and I would have to say Sommelier Jack Nolan was exceptional in his advice and knowledge… one of the best we have ever had in our many years of dining together. It’s a little pricey, but well worth every cent. …oh and the view etc is perfect, but the food, wine and hospitality were exceptional.

Not long ago, I planned to catch up with my learned friend and council and suggested that we dine at The Point Restaurant in Albert Park, or should I say, on Albert Park Lake. He expressed some consternation, if not confusion, and claimed that the last time he dined at the restaurant two years ago he was not impressed and it was a forgettable experience that he did not want to relive. I was reminded that the restaurant recently lost a hat and only had one left as per the latest Age Good Food Guide and was interested to understand why I would want to frequent such a place that has seemingly lost its way like the federal government. I explained to my learned and curious friend that a gentleman called Bryan Lloyd took over as General Manager for the restaurant (fifteen months prior to this post) and knowing his reputation, I expected great things from within the new Reich, including head chef Justin Wise, who was awarded «Young Chef of the Year 2009» and was also at the helm of George Calombaris’ The Press Club when it received its second hat. Justin later worked as Executive Sous Chef under Josh Emett at the now defunct Gordon Ramsay’s Maze at Crown Metropol, which was a restaurant that I always rated when I was playing tourist in Melbourne. In retrospect, perhaps the reason why my experience at The Press Club was so ordinary was because Justin was no longer responsible for leading the kitchen there. The mind boggles.
I first crossed paths with Bryan Lloyd when he was the general manager of Vue de Monde when they were still housed within Normandy Chambers on Little Collins Street and was continually impressed by his devotion to service and his people management skills. The reputation of The Point being a incidental factor, after my learned friend and council went missing by choice, I turned up for my rescheduled booking at The Point with the epicurean emo. We were greeted at the door by Bryan and taken to our table which bordered one of the floor to ceiling windows that overlooks Albert Park Lake, the high rise buildings on St Kilda Road and the Melbourne CBD in the distance. The sun was beginning to set, the ducks were frolicking in the water and a buzz filled the premises with smartly dressed customers, a few tables accommodating group bookings and activity that would leave any other restaurant that was not full a bit jealous.
Bryan explained to us that at The Point, they exploit a novel concept in dining. It is called a «menu» which I have a reputation of not wanting to consult. Having the foresight to accommodate my desire to not tire my eyes on the written word, he fortuitously devised an eight course degustation menu ($ 310 p/​p and aptly called «Tasting Point») with the kitchen which we were very keen to experience. We opted for matching wines ($ 250 p/​p) including a bottle of 2002 Pol Roger Champagne from France to start proceedings and to enjoy in between courses but ultimately match with two of the forthcoming courses.
A scallop ceviche with Avruga caviar (which is not really caviar in the true sense of the word as it is made with herring and does not contain fish roe) and fennel was the first dish to match with the 2002 Pol Roger. The edible bivalve mollusk was not only delicately poised on the plate but when matched with the herring flavour inherent with the caviar along with the champagne made for an exciting way to start dinner. The unlimited supply of San Pellegrino sparking water ($ 11 p/​p) relieved the thirst that was gained from wandering around the F1 motorcourse before arriving at the restaurant and the champagne took the edge off and allowed me to enter my happy place where the professional service, which included eight people attending to our table.
A tomato terrine with cumin crème fraîche followed with an Ortiz anchovy and tonburi salad dressing matched with a non vintage Château d’Esclans «Whispering Angel» Rose from Provence, France, followed. The southern Rhone blend went well with the simple yet powerful tomato terrine and enhanced the flavours of the crème fraîche. The cumin was a bold touch and combined with the the Ortiz anchovy, which I hunt down regularly at the bar at Cumulus, and made for an awesome course where the Grenache and Mourvedre showcased the food. I was concerned at the decision made by the house to introduce a dish that matched with a Rose and then ultimately progress to a chardonney at the next course but those concerns were ultimately dispelled.
Plenty of more that can be written about this awesome degustation menu and experience however word limitations are preventing me. The original text is on my blog though.

So I live in a city where top quality steaks are everywhere. With the likes of Carnevino, Prime, Cut, and probably a steakhouse in every casino, Vegas is probably the biggest steakhouse town in the country.
Having spent the better part of a week in Melbourne for vacation I was craving some beef. And hearing that Aussies raise good cows, I was excited to be trying The Point at Albert Park — especially since there was raving an article about it in The Age I happened to stumble across.
Was just the wife and a mutual friend on a rainy Thursday evening. We made a reservation, but turns out there was only four other tables for the evening, so pretty lucky in terms of seating. I hear it gets really busy on weekends, so account for that. Got a nice window seat, even though it was pouring out — decent view of the lake. I can see how this would be an impressive date restaurant on good days.
Ordered an assortment of dishes, with me and the wife sharing a chateaubriand, our friend ordering a ribeye. I thought it was a little odd they didn’t serve a Caesar salad at a steakhouse, but we settled on some house green mix, a heirloom tomato salad with beets, and some oysters to start the meal. Accompanied by a bottle of 2009 Penfolds 389, the evening started out with a bang.
The steaks arrived, with the chateaubriand getting table side service. Had pomme purée and creamed spinach for sides to share. Both cuts of beef were ultra tender and juicy and just enough seasoning; top 10 in my book of steaks (#1 is still the Kobe filet at Craftsteak which is no longer served — probably can’t be topped, ever). The ribeye was also quite tender and flavorful, as I had a few slices. The steaks were not overly drowned in butter like some places, so definitely a sign of good cuts of beef (not being masked in butter). Good charring for a crisp on the outside, while the insides were a great pink medium rare color, every bite chewed nicely.
Sides were a little meh as there wasn’t anything that stood out, pretty standard fare. The only gripe I had about the entire evening was the dim lighting. Hard to get photos or even see your dining party… could have just been the dark, rainy evening though. Still, this is One of the most memorable dining experiences we had in Australia, so that’s saying something.
Whether its a night out with friends to curb some beef cravings, or a hot date with your significant other, The Point definitely has my vote. Coming back here when I get another trip to the land down under.

Quite fine dining, almost on the verge of too much for me. Lots of white linen, lots of crumb-​scrapers after your main, lots of deferential posturing by servers. But it didn’t feel awkward to be there; I was with a work group of 6 people, and we were able to chat and laugh and spill stuff and no one sniffed at us.
It does have fantastic views over the lake in Albert Park. It does have a big range of wine and craft beers. It has won Best Steak in Australia in 2008 and 2011.
And if you go for lunch there are set menus that don’t break the bank: two courses and a glass of wine for something like $ 38, if I recall correctly. I had oysters for a starter and then an incredibly amazing steak: marinated, tender, juicy, delicious from first bite to last.
I think that the best views, and value for menu, are to be gained from a special lunch trip, like we did.

Came here for my birthday and had a great time. The chef and his team really did a good job to make my night memorable.
First off it’s in a very nice, but slightly difficult location to get to. Once you find the restaurant, the public dining area is actually upstairs, so use the elevator or the stairwell.
Huge floor to ceiling windows line the side facing Albert Park Lake, a view which was not too visible at night but would be lovely during the day or at sunset. It was dimly lit and also very spacious.
I think someone let them know it was my birthday, so they brought out some complimentary pumpkin veloute and charcuterie boards for us which was a great start.
Following that was some of the best steak I’ve had in Melbourne. My rib eye was cooked exactly as I ordered with a nice crust. My brother ordered a humungous 2kg steak (unsure of the cut but had a large bone running down the side, perhaps some sort of rib eye?) aptly named ‘the Tomahawk’ (which is now no longer on the menu, as it changes according to seasonal produce). Unfortunately as the cut was a few centimetres thick in height, it was very undercooked (ordered medium-​rare) in the middle near the bone, so it had to be sent back for another round on the grill.
All in all despite a minor hiccup a great dining experience.

The Point is located in the middle of Albert Park, situated right on the edge of the lake. The glass walls provide a stunning view that gives the restaurant its fantastic appeal.
The Point is a very nice restaurant to dine at. The food here is carefully crafted, creating exciting dishes that stick out from the norm.
You wouldn’t expect it by interior of the place, but The Point actually makes a fantastic steakhouse. They offer a variety of cuts and quality, and meat is cooked to perfection.
The Point really does offer some of the best steak I have had in Melbourne. The entrees and desserts here were also a hit (especially the dessert).
The Point definitely lives up to its 2 chef hats, a perfect place for an intimate dinner or special occasion.