One of my favourite restaurants in Adelaide is Windy Point. Not only does this place boast breathtaking views across the city, the atmosphere, quality of food and service has always been exceptional during my previous visits. For me, this place sets the benchmark by which I compare other restaurants and I always come here with high expectations. Call it a ritual or tradition, but whenever it’s Festival of Food time, I always make sure I pay this restaurant a visit. I’ve already reviewed this place enough times so I’ll get straight into the food.

For starters, we had the Home-made Ciabatta with Hindmarsh Valley Butter. The bread didn’t seem fresh and was very chewy. Not a good start to the evening.

The Entree Tasting Plate (from bottom to top) consisted of Smoked Barramundi Saag Aloo, Pork Belly with Pineapple Chutney, and Sweet Potato, Chilli and Coriander Soup.

The Smoked Barramundi Saag Aloo brings with it some subcontinental flavours. With mild curry flavours, the dish is light and refreshing.

The Pork Belly with Pineapple Chutney was my favourite on the entree tasting plate. The pork was tender, well marinated and succulent, and the meat was well balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple chutney. The broken down pork skin not only acted as a garnish but also provided a lovely crunchy texture to the dish.

The Sweet Potato, Chilli and Coriander Soup really packed a lot of heat. The soup had a nice thick consistency and was well seasoned. The serving size was small but adequate for what it was.

We had to wait a good 30 minutes before our mains came out. It seemed like forever and it was only at the 25 minute mark that we were informed there was a mix up with the orders. When the meals finally arrived, there was almost a lack of sincerity with the apology that we were given.

For my main, I had the Berkshire Pork Three Ways. Beautifully presented, it came with a hock croqueta, shoulder and apple pie, scotch braise with polenta and pickled cabbage. My favourite part of the dish was the pie. Encased in a golden brown pastry shell, the filling was very well seasoned, and the pork and apple worked hand in hand. The scotch braise was good, although I thought the meat was a little dry. The least favourite was the hock croqueta. It tasted very bland and a bit too fatty for my liking. I also thought the inclusion of popcorn was an unexpected choice as it added a chewy texture to the dish which didn’t seem to go with anything else.

The Barossa Farm Chicken Coq au Vin was served with baby onions, carrot, mushroom and parsnip puree. The braised chicken was tender and succulent, and was swimming in the red wine sauce. Having never had this dish before, I thought it wasn’t too bad.

The Sous Vide Angus Sirloin came with a beef cheek and potato tart, pea mash and tomato essence. We all agreed this was the dish of the night. The beef sirloin was lean, tender and succulent, and the beef cheeks inside the tart were well seasoned and full of flavour. The dish was so simple and yet so delicious.

As a side, we had the Fried Chat Potatoes which was served with roasted garlic aioli, salt and vinegar. We all thought the potatoes could have been more crispier.

Out of all the mains, the Angus Sirloin was the highlight of the night. When asked how our meals were, one member of the group said her dish was average. It was at this point the service became non-existent.

The Petit Four was the White Chocolate Macadamia Fudge and Meringue. The fudge was thick and not overly sweet, and the macadamia nuts added a nice crunchy texture. The meringue was light and airy, and complimented the fudge well.

From the poor service we had received, the group decided not to have any more dessert. After much discussion with one of the Managers, we were given a complimentary Chocolate Melange to help improve the experience. The Chocolate Melange is a classic dessert tasting plate that has been around for as long as I can remember. It consists of Mocha Panna Cotta, White Chocolate Cheesecake, Hazelnut Chocolate Palet, Butterscotch Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse Cornetto and Glace Cherry and Chocolate Parfait.

The Mocha Panna Cotta contained a coffee flavoured jelly inside a thin chocolate cup. Not overly sweet, it was a good start to the Chocolate Melange experience.

The White Chocolate Cheesecake was smooth and delicate with a slight tartiness. This was balanced by the sweetness of the unique chocolate casing.

The Hazelnut Chocolate Palet is a chocolate mousse cube covered in chocolate. Beautiful in presentation, the mousse was rich and dense, and a perfect treat for all chocolate lovers.

The Butterscotch Creme Brulee was my favourite out all the desserts. Underneath the thin delicate caramelised surface was a smooth velvety creamy custard that had a lovely thick consistency. Right at the base was the butterscotch which made the dessert even better.

Right about now we were entering a sugar coma. The Chocolate Mousse Cornetto started to taste the same as some of the previous desserts. The cone was a bit softer than expected.

The Glace Cherry and Chocolate Parfait was not bad for an ice cream. Very chocolatey but not overly sweet.

One thing that I have noticed when revisiting places is the lack of consistency. There are so many factors that can affect someone’s experience ranging from what you order to whether the staff are having a bad day. Tonight’s experience was far from perfect, but in the end, we could see the Manager trying to turn things around. Based on all my visits to this place, I’d like to think tonight was just a blip on the radar.

WHERE: Windy Point Lookout, Belair Rd, Belair