Robert A.
Yelp
Eating out can be many things, whether it is a simple act to satisfy our hunger, a raucous evening with family and friends, or an exquisite evening of dining where the food and service elevate the whole experience. Shannon Bennett's Vue de Monde has a firm place on that final tier, where this is not simply eating out, but a theatre of dining. In its latest incarnation on the 55th floor of the Rialto building, Vue de Monde delivers a polished experience from being welcomed in the lobby of the building to the final petit four or digestif.
The Rialto location brings a sense of drama and awe to the restaurant with a spectacular view, arguably better after the sun sets and the glittering blanket of Melbourne tapers into the distance. The space is sleek and understated, leading the fine dining trend in moving away from starched white tablecloths to a more comforting aesthetic. The native and colonial theme is evident in the wide kangaroo skin covered tables with leather and fur armchairs, sparsely dotted around the room, allowing a sense of personal space very rarely granted in restaurants.
The food, delivered by head chef Cory Campbell, shows an evolution from the classical French roots to a more contemporary, pared-back approach, allowing local produce to shine. This evolution is shown across the meal, where a soufflé and gascony salad share the same menu as a liquid nitrogen fuelled palate cleanser and onion soup finished table-side in a siphon coffee brewer. This combination of traditional flavours and modern techniques, along with the inclusion of native ingredients like wallaby, gives wide appeal while retaining an element of surprise.
There is the decision of a four course meal, of your choosing, or the gastronomes (degustation) menu of around ten courses; both feature additional elements like appetisers and palate cleansers.
Elements of drama and theatre have never been more evident than today's Vue de Monde, beginning with the assortment of river stones and grape vines gracing each table, which reveal their purpose throughout the meal, from cutlery holders to butter dishes. Both wait-staff and chefs partake in table-side theatrics, whether it is simply dressing the plate with sauce or carving barramundi cheeks from the head to the plate. It is this attention and interaction that lift the whole evening from merely dinner at a restaurant to a memorable dining experience.
Being a special occasion, the evening begins with a glass of 2003 Dom Pérignon and a selection of appetisers. Pristinely fresh oysters are allow to sing, with finger lime bringing a zing of acidity. Wallaby, lightly cured at the table on a salt rock, is tender and subtle, an easy way to convert any first-time marsupial eaters. Smoked eel is encased in a shell of white chocolate, offering an unusual juxtaposition of smoke and sweet, which works on every level.
The first course is marron tail, gently roasted to perfection, served with a luxuriously smooth tarragon brown-butter emulsion. On the side is a dusting of intense marron powder and a marron 'sandwich' to add a crispy texture. The tactile nature of dipping the juicy marron into the tarragon butter by hand made this one of my favourite dishes of the meal, and highlights the beautiful simplicity of produce treated with respect and allowed to breathe on the plate.
The Melbourne onion soup was the perfect illustration of the evolution from classical French cuisine to modern technique, where the onion soup is infused at the table using the vacuum of a siphon coffee maker. This reinvention of onion soup featured pickled and charred textures of onion floating in the intensely flavoured and delicious onion broth, served with crispy croutons and comté cheese. Following was a baby corn cob, cooked and served in its husk, with gascony butter and black truffle generously shaved over the top. Another dish where looks can be deceiving, as the simplicity paid off with the tender corn bursting with flavour and the freshness of the corn playing well off the earthy truffle.
An oozy, perfectly-seasoned duck yolk was served with crispy pork and green beans. The dusting of mint cut through the richness of the duck egg, lightening the dish and taking it to the next level. For the palate cleanser, a bowl of freshly picked herbs is placed in front of you and doused in liquid nitrogen, allowing you to crush the brittle herbs into dust amidst the flowing vapours, before a zingy grapefruit sorbet is scooped on top. On a previous visit it was a cucumber sorbet which gave a more refreshing feel, rather than the grapefruit's cleansing appeal- I prefer the cucumber.
The next dish arrives with a beautiful prawn stretching lazily over the plate, with a tender portion of barramundi nestled against it.
(Run out of space, so you can finish reading at my blog)
