In much the same vein as my Koto Moon review, I must start here with a disclaimer. Sarah and I had our wedding reception in the Promenade Room at The Point, so we have somewhat of a sentimental attachment to it. That being said, we had our wedding there because we liked the restaurant, not the other way around. If that isn't enough of an endorsement for you then by all means, read on.

The Point sits at the end of Aquatic Drive in Albert Park, which gives its unusually shaped, crescent dining room a very pleasing view over the lake. It's hardly Sydney Harbour, but it's a reasonable substitute in Melbourne. The dining room is modern and not overcrowded, and also offers a cellar which can accommodate up to a party of 12. I have never dined there but it is on my to-do list.

On your way in the door you are sure to notice the large meat display on your left. This should leave you in no way confused about what The Point is all about. While the menu provides an impressive array of non-beef dishes, it is certainly the steak which is the feature. An entire page of steak options, and a following page describing the differences between grain and grass fed, different regions and cuts, and basically everything you may wish to know about how it came from the field to your fork. Accompanying the menu is a very impressive wine list, with many local and international wines present, often with different vintages of each wine.

We started the evening with a glass of Yarrabank Cuvee ($15 by the glass), made to Methode traditionelle the Yarrabank is a wine we have previously enjoyed but entirely forgotten about, we made a mental note to track it down. For entree Sarah chose the Poached Gippsland milk fed veal, yellow fin tuna, beetroot jelly, purslane and anchovy mayonnaise($27), while I had the Ham hock, foie gras and lentil terrine, watercress salad and sauce gribiche($24). At first taste I was concerned they were holding out on the foie gras a little, but buried deep within my (quite sizable) terrine there was a generous quantity. I highly recommend this entree for if you feel a little indulgent.

Next came the difficult task of choosing a main. We knew we were going to select a steak, but this is where the menu presents a challenge. Pasture fed from Tasmania? Grain Fed from Clare? MS8+ Wagyu from Ballan in Victoria? In the end, we decided upon the pasture fed Chateaubriand with bourguinon garnish ($40pp). This 500-600g cut is shared between two, carved and plated at the table. We ordered medium-rare, but this was my mistake, I should have listened to my wife and agreed that rare was the way to go. That being said, it was delicious and tender, although the large cubes of ham in the bourguinon may have been slightly too much. Accompanied by a Greek salad ($10), we well and truly ate our fill.

Accompanying main, we chose to go out on a limb and try a wine we had never heard of. French syrah no less. A bottle of 2005 Domaine du Colombier, Crozes-Hermitage($70). With reasonably strong tannins, and hints of oak and pepper, it really opened up after decanting. It also complemented the meal quite nicely.

Desert was a Valrhona chocolate fondant, choc mint ice cream and pickled cherries($18). Another rather indulgent choice, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Sarah was equally enamoured with this decision, despite her lack of a sweet tooth.

Overall it was a very enjoyable evening, as has been every time I have dined here. The Point at Albert Park has a great dining room, helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable staff, fantastic food, and can throw a good wedding function. It will always be a favourite of mine.

We ate:
Entree: Poached Veal
Entree: Ham, foie gras and lentil terrine
Main: Chateaubriand with bourguinon garnish
Dessert: Chocolate fondant

We drank:
Yarrabank Cuvee, and 2005 Domaine du Colombier, Crozes-Hermitage