Vue de Monde

A little like the “that’s me!bourne city” ads, things are a little quirky here. What are these funny little drawings on the plates sitting in front of me? A duck… look, my friend’s got a broken wine bottle and why is there a man in a boat on another? Our table of 10 each has something different. No, I’m not in a crockery shop, but a fine diner of the highest standard, where you feel welcomed, relaxed and unintimidated by your environment.

So you order, or should I say, following a friendly conversation with your friendly maitre’d, they tailor a menu just for you. Don’t you feel special?

And so you wait with baited breath for each course. You can watch the chefs finish each plate via the conveniently angled mirror perched on the roof of the open kitchen. Someone please give me a doggy bowl to pool the drool sprouting from my mouth.

As a precursor to each dish, comes an extravagant announcement and explanation. I love the theatrics. I’d clap and squeal like a Japanese school girl but I’m afraid that might be a bit too weird… And so you are served, you inhale the aromas and engulf.

The quirks continue. You’re asking me to inject what into the Japanese breadcrumbed chicken “a la york”? The abalone in a sweet corn taco shell (is that taco certified?), a vial of essence to pour over the crayfish (I like when my crustacean is a science project), dry ice in a palate cleanser with not so subtle warning to wait before consuming (ooooo the element of danger!), sweet and sour foam with the venison wellington, a falling tower of strawberries and cream. WOW, visually stunning, engaging the diner to be interactive with each dish, not to mention the flavours which dance on the tongue. By the end, I was utterly stuffed and spent, so full in fact that I had to “da bao” (pardon my French) emportez the petit fours …

Be warned… with this 10 course degustation menu, you’re in for an epic. But it’s well worth sitting through and I can’t wait for a repeat performance.

5 / 5 yums!

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Where? Vue de Monde, Normanby Chambers, 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

What? 10 course degustation (with the “extras”) - $180

Left to Right : Mr Bennett's French Onion Soup, Ormeau servi dans une coquille de taco de maïs, Risotto aux cepes, foie gras au yoghourt, Muge farci À l’Écrevisse et Enveloppe de carottes, Consomme Froid a la tomate, poulet ‘ Á la york’, Chevreuil en Croute, Palate Cleanser : Kiwi Fruit and Mint Jelly, Pre-Dessert - green tea and chocolate mousse, Fraises À la crème (constructed and deconstructed), Souffle au Chocolat, Notre sélection de cafés thés infusions et petits-fours