Where fine dining… and fine desserts lives on.

Our experience

A glistening glass and steel edifice, The Point is set right on the edge of Albert Park Lake.  The restaurant is actually only a small part of the building, an upper-level wrap-around that faces the lakeside. The rest of the building houses vast function rooms that must see a lion’s share of beautiful weddings and corporate seminars. The restaurant itself is minimalist monochrome chic — dark carpets, double linens, floor-to-ceiling windows, neat, well-drilled staff. On a sunny afternoon, long lunching does not get more luxurious than at The Point, and similarly, as the setting sun streaks lurid colours against a city skyline backdrop, it’s truly an ideal place for theatrical romancing.

MoMo & Coco visited for a celebratory luncheon in late 2012. As much time has passed between dining and publishing our review, we shall, pardon the pun, get straight to the point with The Point. The savoury dishes sampled were difficult to fault, pare-bared and traditional, sometimes with a twist. The service was exemplary. The desserts lend a playful, modern edge to the more traditional savoury fare, and were a grand finale to a special occasion. Without further ado, let us show you the desserts from The Point with comments extracted from notes made shortly after dining there.

The pre-dessert course palate cleanser was a spoon of coconut sorbet and biscuit oat crumble (complimentary).

The “Quark Cheesecake” ($20). What did it taste like? Stomach ballast, earthy, with a raspberry tang.

The “Raspberry Souffle” ($19). What did it taste like? A cloud, on a pool of molten chocolate.

The “Michel Cluizel White Chocolate, Lemon Ganache, Mint, Meringue and Milk Ice Cream” ($17). What did it taste like? As it looked, like a little Pacific island. A soft tropical-accented breeze, light, revitalising.

The “Banana Cake, Bubblegum Ice Cream, Popping Candy, Chocolate, Caramel Sauce, Marshmallow” ($21). What did it taste like? After the waiter poured a jug of molten chocolate through a thin disc of tempered chocolate (without warning, hence no “before” photo), the delicately-assembled terrarium underneath became a chocaholic’s dream embedded with textural surprises. We would have preferred to pour the chocolate ourselves.

Dining at The Point ended with a platter of petit fours — almond cookies, dark chocolate fudge and orange jube jellies (complimentary). What did it taste like? Sugar coma-inducing at this stage.

Our verdict

Desserts at a number of fine dining institutions in Melbourne don’t sing a particularly appealing song. In many cases, they are overly complex creations with clash-of-civilizations-esque flavours or textures, or worse, a drop here and a streak there resembling a micro-organism culture on a Petri dish rather than an edible, human-size dessert. Not so at The Point. Be sure to put it at the top of your list of fine dining restaurants in Melbourne.

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Dessert adventure checklist

1. ☑ Dessert destination: The Point Restaurant, Aquatic Drive, Albert Park Lake, Vic.
2. ☑ Budget: $$$$.
3. ☑ Sweet irresistibles: Restaurant dessert. Modern/neo-classical European and Australian.
4. ☑ Must-eat: Any dessert that you can fit in, though especially the “Michel Cluziel White Chocolate” and the “Banana Bread, Bubble Gum Ice Cream, Chocolate.”
5. ☑ The short and sweet story: Where fine dining…and fine desserts live on.

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