THEIR STORY
A Knoxville native, Chef Noah Goodfriend spent time with the Pizza Kitchen on Northshore, Downtown Grill & Brewery, and in the Earthfare kitchen before joining Point B for its opening in 2022. Chef Chris Cummins, a graduate of Pellissippi State in physics, cooked at the Grill at Highlands Row, the Orangery, Balter Beerworks, K Town Tavern, and the Wicked Chicken before Point B.
The welcome drink was a tasty Prosecco—a Spanish Prospero Gran Selezione Brut with apple, pear, and lemon flavors. It complemented the Amuse Bouche of gravlax beet-cured Norwegian salmon with whipped cream cheese and roasted red pepper jelly on an everything bagel chip.
We sat with owner Dan Goss’s wife, Cyndie, proud mother of 8-week-old Teddie and visionary behind Point B’s sophisticated design. Cyndie was there with her bestie Ashley Moore, who back in the day worked for Dan at Downtown Grill & Brewery. “He was a great teacher,” Moore remembers. “He was demanding, but taught all of us so much.”
Chef Noah Goodfriend introduced his appetizer: a Duck Confit Meatball with Consommé. The meatball, including shallots and eggs, was slow roasted in the consommé with locally sourced Extraterrestrial Fungi blue oyster mushrooms and garnished with locally sourced microgreens. “I wanted a way to make duck more accessible,” said Chef Noah, “to respect the ingredient. It’s rich but not heavy. Consommé doesn’t get done very often because it is very labor intensive.” The pairing was a 2022 Stag’s Leap Oak Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. “The chardonnay’s oak finish works with the palate so the richness of the duck will linger a little bit,” said Goss.
Chef Chris Cummins described the Strawberry Filet entrée: “A locally sourced filet au poivre hard-seared and pepper-encrusted with roasted strawberry basil peppercorn cream sauce on top, with mashed potato and parsnip purée, and micro leeks. The pairing was close to owner Goss’s heart, since he grew up near Lodi, California, source of the robust 2020 Old Ghost Red Zinfandel, with blackberry and plum sweetness.
Dessert Chef Brandon Ebeling introduced the Chocolate Gift Box: “It’s my gift from me to you. The box-shaped chocolate is filled with fruit cream and topped with toasted coconut.” Chef Chris noted that the Portuguese Warre’s Ruby Warrior Reserve Ruby Porto “has notes of dark cherry and milk chocolate and a smooth finish of fruit flavors. The oils and fats from the chocolate balance back and forth with the sweetness of the port.”