The Point Hotel Bistro

LOCATION
Close to Fish Markets, Darling Harbour, Star City. A five-minute drive from the city.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
The Good Food Guide 2009 has labelled this groovy watering hole one of Sydney’s top 10 pubs – and who am I to argue? It’s decked out in that typical wooden outfit that is so becoming to social gatherings, plus there’s an unexpectedly swanky bistro towards the back. The dining room opens out onto a piazza-like space, where alfresco tables placed upon wooden decking and surrounded by green bamboo take best advantage of the light. Inside, both large groups and intimate couplings are comfortably catered for with cosy settings nestled in nooks and crannies and long banquettes with cushions for more raucous occasions.

Chef Stewart Clarke can be seen slicing and sizzling through an open kitchen while the bistro's front of house staff orchestrate proceedings on the floor. The menu is scrawled on a floor-to-ceiling board allowing for the dishes to change with the seasons. For a light lunch with friends, select a few share plates – the John Street plate, for example, is piled with salt and pepper squid, grilled chorizo, tomato, garlic bruschetta, marinated olives, grilled vegetables, hummus, smoked eggplant and sourdough. For a fresh meal on a fresh day, opt for a salad such as the roast pumpkin, blue cheese, candied walnuts, semi-dried tomatoes, pear and baby leaves; otherwise, look to the grill, pasta and main sections for a heartier meal. The grain-fed beef burger is served with in-house tomato chutney, salad and hand-cut chips, pappardelle is tossed with slow-cooked beef ragu, rocket and parmesan, and confit duck leg comes with spiced red cabbage and puy lentils. Top quality ingredients and professional prowess ensure a wonderful meal at The Point, and the prices, too, are wallet-pleasers.

Annabel Wise