Vue de Monde - Winter Degustation
Sometimes life surprises you. I always find when I try too hard to plan something, it doesn't necessarily work out. And yet when I'm spontaneous – which is more often than not – things just seem to fall into place.
This was one of those days.
A friend had requested a lunch catch up in the city. This friend had always wanted to go to Vue de Monde and so I suggested we call and see if perhaps they'd had a cancellation. They were fully booked but very happy to put us on a wait list. The likelihood of getting a table in one of Melbourne's most sought after restaurants on a day's notice wasn't good, but I'm the eternal optimist that thinks it's always worth a try.
My optimism was rewarded with a phone call to say a table had become available so our lunch plans were suddenly elevated to a different status than what we probably would have had given there was no occasion.
Upon arrival in the complex, we were greeted by the concierge who arranged for the elevator to collect us, announced our table number to the staff waiting above, and even though we were in the elevator with others, we were greeted as individual parties by separate waiters upon exit.
Once you're out of the elevator, you can see the opulent Bar Lui.
Our waiter then ushered us through an electronic glass door to the right which is their wine cellar that doubles as the restaurant entrance. Nice way to begin. And adds to the anticipation of what is to come.
The restaurant is surprisingly spartan in decor (compared to the opulence of Bar Lui) – presumably the concept is that the focus is only on the views and the cuisine. Large, wide tables, covered in sheaths of leather studded to the tabletops with metal hardware. Also wide and comfortable are the chairs that are a mix of leather and some with beautiful soft fur on the outside that you really just want to stroke the whole time you're sitting in them. It's definitely a very subtle, yet sensory experience.
On the tables are large rocks, stones and wooden branches upon which the various utensils and cutlery are laid for each course.
We had many wait staff for the various beverages and courses. All of whom were friendly, extremely welcoming, knowledgeable, helpful, obliging and totally unpretentious. When I asked a question, it was answered as though I was talking to a friend, not being 'schooled' or made to feel like I should have known the answer. Whoever does the hiring there should get an award for that alone.
We began with (of course) a glass of Champagne. Charles Heidsiek Brut Reserve. Beautiful. Elegant. Fine trails of bubbles that last and last. Not too heavy, toasty or yeasty. Quite creamy really, and with some lovely citrus notes for a crisp finish. On my sparkling obsession discovery, I have often found that Champagne is a little too heavy or full bodied than my personal taste prefers. However, this one broke that mould for me. It's perfectly balanced for my palette.
There is of course the option for matching wines with each course, but we opted for a bottle of Curly Flat Williams Crossing 2014 Chardonnay from Victoria's Macendon Ranges. Our sommelier gave us the option of having it at the recommended temperature, or also a little more chilled (only because most people prefer their whites chilled). We tasted it at both the recommended temperature and the chilled temperature. And it was very quickly apparent that the less chilled version allowed the full flavours to come out. This is what I mean about knowledgeable and unpretentious staff. There is a full understanding that people have different tastes and that there is no right or wrong when it comes to that. So what they give you, is the pleasure of discovering yourself what your preference is without shoving opinions down your throat.
Our 8 course (although I suspect it was a little more than 8) meal was superb. In this current climate of over-the-top food theatrics that seems to have taken over what food is really all about, it was genuinely lovely to be presented with fresh, seasonal, local, and uniquely Australian produce, with an honest, yet very stylish and creative, Australian concept.
I will not outline every single plate we had for you, as it changes seasonally. The pictures in the slideshow above can inform you. However I will say that every dish we had was the perfect size, and was mostly protein with light accompaniments. Most memorable for me was the marron course, which came in two parts – the first a raw version cured with citrus, and the second, a mini barbecue with Marron sausages brought to the table served with caramelised onions and other condiments – the most stylish and delicate salute to the Aussie BBQ I've had to date.
Poached fish with a beautiful broth, David Blackmore waygu with the most delicate brussel sprouts ever. Many other amazing morsels, the names of which escape me. Two palette cleansers, both unique in their own way…one was like a miniature round icy pole with really Australian bush flavours and aromas…tea tree being one. The other a nice mix of theatre for the eyes and surprises for the taste buds. Flowers and herbs served in a bowl. Liquid nitrogen poured on them. You then smash them into crystals with the pestle supplied and then a plum sorbet is served over the top. Once you mix those flavours together, there's definitely something I hesitantly call a "disco" happening on your tongue (only because I cannot think of another word to describe this unusual sensation) – it's just such a surprise as it contradicts the visual softness of the ingredients.
We finished with a macadamia ice cream with fermented apple, followed by a lighter-than-light chocolate souflee that is hand-topped at your table with white chocolate "snow". It was a little on the "eggy" side for me and I probably would have preferred to taste more chocolate, but that's a personal preference, not a criticism of the dish itself.
A true selection of hand picked teas is also available, and the staff are truly knowledgeable in this arena too. For a tea-drinker and collector, this is wonderful. Most venues in Melbourne are still not au-fait with tea varieties and how best to serve them, as Melbourne is a city of coffee connoisseurs.
I'm sure many would want to dissect the meal even further, but for me food and wine are all about pleasure, sensations, the company you're in, the environment you're in, the quality of the produce, and (on most occasions) the creativity of the cuisine. And even on the most soggy Melbourne winter day, this was a genuinely relaxing and delightful space that delivered all of the above.
Other beautiful things that added to the sensory experience were the exquisite, lightweight champagne glasses by Zalto (handblown I was informed upon enquiring of their origin) and the heavily ornate and stunning engraved cutlery that adds further dimension as the grooves pass over your tongue. There's no rush to usher you away from your table, and upon leaving via the wine cellar, you are accompanied by your waiter who presents you with a gift bag for breakfast the following day. Each of our bags contained two Vue de Monde croissants, two tiny, tasty macarons, Vue de Monde muesli and a few servings of black tea.
I will say when we left, I had thoroughly enjoyed the meal, the service, the company and the views. But I was left feeling a little lack-lustre about the decor, as I had expected that a premium venue would be a lot more showy. But the more I thought about it, the more I realise that the entire concept is probably the only 100% genuine Australian fine-dining experience I've had. What I mean by this is that Australians in general prefer to play things down, rather than be showy. They also prefer casual surrounds and attire over glitz, glam and formality. And the thing they hate most, is to feel like someone is looking down their nose at them. So in essence, this concept is genius as it gives you a perfect sense of what Australia and Australians are like: no fuss, friendly, relaxed. Which is actually the loveliest way I can think to spend a Sunday afternoon.
I look forward to returning again. Perhaps next time in the evening for a different view of Melbourne, or a stay at the Intercontinental.
(A bit of information for the uninitiated: car parking is only $15 on weekends underneath Rialto, but although it appears closed, their carpark is open on weekends to restaurant patrons and hotel guests so you need to be buzzed in.)
