Something New at The Pointe: Chicago Meatpackers
So the much vaunted Pointe on the Palm has finally opened and along with it, a whole host of new restaurants.
As far as the destination goes, you could think of it as Club Vista Mare on steroids. The Pointe is not a small locale and when fully up and running is said to have no less than 100 restaurants. The most complete of these thus far seems to be the Chicago Meatpackers Bar & Grill, which also has another outlet in um…..Germany.
In keeping with the Vista Mare comparisons, in some respects you could think of Chicago Meatpackers as a kind of oversized Tap House.
The venue is spread across an expansive two levels with both upper and lower decks having an extensive outdoor dining area as well. In addition to this, it is also licensed and has a great looking central bar on the lower deck right beside where you walk in.
Uniquely, there’s a model train that runs its way around the ceiling of the ground floor space, which is kinda cool.
One could imagine that the main selling point of this venue and others is the view, which is in a word - excellent. Both of the outdoor terraces provide unparalleled views of the Palm’s marina out towards Atlantis and in these very nice winter climes, it’s a great place to be. From a styling point of view, (model train aside) there’s no real surprises. It’s classic industrial bistro chic, with all the typical ingredients you would expect to see, from neon lit signage, to booth seating and Edison bulbs. It looks pleasant enough but there’s nothing original or groundbreaking about it, which is ok too if they can back it up with solid service, respectable pricing and great food.
The two page menu runs through Appetizers and Salads and onto Steaks, Burgers and Grills. For this visit we decided to try out a few things including, the Fried Pickles (AED 36), the Onion Loaf (AED 65), along with the house specialty which is the 1/2 Sized Grilled Chicken (AED 125) and finally their Chicago Cheeseburger w/ Egg (AED 95) for good measure.
The pickles were nice enough, the batter not too dense, while the onion loaf was absolutely gargantuan in size - literally a brick of deep fried onions enough for 4 to pick at while drinking a cold one. Yep, the menu is definitely formed around beer drinking food. Speaking of which, the hops are some of the most expensive in the city with a Pint setting you back 50 plus Dirhams.
Moving onto the mains and the 1/2 bird was pretty good, with a nice little rub on it and quite tender and moist in the right places. The chicken also comes with a side and a choice of sauces. The cheese burger was competent without being exceptional and at 95 Dirhams a little steep. I’ve definitely had a better burger but truth be told I’ve also had a lot worse. It was a middle of the road affair which is probably an apt description of the venue generally.
Bottom Line:
There are promising signs but right now, they’ve got their work cut out for them. It’s a huge venue that has quite a bit of competition not only from further a field but also at the Pointe in the form of the Fitzroy. That said, there are a lot of great elements to this brand new bar and grill and if they can hone their pricing and build a buzz by introducing a happy hour to capitalize on the magnificent views, there’s no reason why it can’t be a fantastic spot on the Palm.
