Vue De Monde

I realise this is a long awaited post, mainly due to my complete laziness and the fact that the photos weren't all that great giving that my compact camera at the time of taking these photos were on its last legs, which topped with a policy of removing flash at any fine dining venue makes it all the more low in quality.

Whatever the case, the photos does no justice to the wonderful culinery experience that I had at Vue De Monde. A french restaurant in the heart of Melbourne city, on Little Collins street in the Normanby chambers. The deco is very understated elegance and luxury, with rich, warm colours highlighted by velvet curtaining, bronze mirrors and  spanish pendant lighting (which many would find it contemporary sheek and "cool" but makes me think that it's rather incomplete - but then again, I've never been one to understand the contemporary look - cool but so inpractical at times). Artwork provides a quirky element and a sense of the mischievous to the dining room.

The waiters were superb in every way, quick, polite and were excellent at describing their degustation options. The first one is their famous GASTRONOME MENU - which consists of 10 courses (minus the palate cleanser, pre-desserts etc. etc. etc.) and their more refined version of the gastronome menu which is 5 course degustation meal - regardless, both could be tailored to our needs, wishes, tastebuds and how bottomless our stomachs were.

The menu we got was the more refined 5 course meal with 2 desserts (which really turned out to be 4 desserts..) and a glass of wine seeing as they have a splendid collection. I opted for a red wine, a 2007 André Kientzler Gewürztraminer Alsace, France, while S opted for the white, a 2005 Domaine Bruno Sorg Riesling 'Florimoant' Alsace, France.

To top it off, the degustation that was available to us (whether it was gastronome or not) was special - it was catered to towards celebrating Easter.

I now present you the menu that was on the 30th March 2010.

Chef in the kitchen doing their culinery thing

The bread and butter - butter was just perfect and it was salted too

Amuse Bouche - Kangaroo charcuterie - Kangaroo cooked in three different ways

Jardin De Legumes - Heide Vegetable Garden

Truite Fumee Acommpagnee De Caviar - Ocean Trout with osetra caviar, wasabi and baby beetroot, smoked at the table - in what looks like a greenhouse glass apparatus.. and omg the trout was gorgeous!! One of my favourites.

Risotto Aux Champignons - This dish is no looker but damn the classically inspired cep and king brown mushroom risotto was delicious (a little salty for me) but it just melts in your mouth!

ÉCREVISSE RÔTIE - Roasted marron with bisque glaze served on hot river stone - sooo delicious i still remember the taste of this!

After the vegie and the seafood tastings a palate cleanser is usually served - its a light, usually very refreshing and most likely tangy.

TROU PÉRIGOURDIN - Palate cleanser - which I believe was some kind of sorbert thing..

The palate cleanser is usually indictive that the more "meatier" courses are about to start..

FILET DE VEAU POCHÉ À LA SAUCE AUX MORELS - Poached veal fillet with morel sauce and pomme mousseline

Then it's time to let our tummy rest - this is where we decided we want dessert - two desserts - little did we know that we would end up with more than 2...

Our toothpick man - given to us after the meats..

Before desserts are served the table is usually scraped clean.

Our transitional dessert - SORBET AU MAIS - Sweet corn sorbet

The Pre-Dessert - OEUFS DE POULES - Prune and Armagnac eggnog, pistachio custard, Grand-Marnier mousse, served in an egg carton - the best one is the pistachio custard!

DESSERT 1: SAGO AU CASSIS - Blackcurrant sago and blackcurrant mousse with raspberry meringue and bubble gum ice cream - i only liked the bubble gum ice-cream but thats probably because i found a lot of the blackcurrent quite sour and the fact that it was the best bubble gum ice-cream ever!!

DESSERT 2: SOUFFLÉ À LA PISTACHE - Demoulded pistachio soufflé with crème anglaise

YUMMO!

NOTRE SÉLECTION DE CAFÉS, THÉS, INFUSIONS ET PETITS-FOURS - A selection of coffee, teas, infusions and petits-fours

The petit fours and the various business cards - given to us due to request.

Seriously the waiters were awesome. They were bemused by us and our chattiness and constant squeals of delights. Even the neighbouring diners got excited due to us. They were also more than happy to take our group photo too.

Vue de monde really defined one of the many reasons why I love fine dining, it is a testament to the belief that restaurant food can be a wondrous, unforgettable experience. A dining experience that cannot be created at home, achieved from sourcing incredible fresh and rare ingredients cooked with a way that just makes your tastebuds sing and then reminisce long after you have dined at the place.

Everything is done to perfection, from the food to the service, including expensive cutlery, glassware and even the business cards. You really don't know fine dining until you been to somewhere like Vue De Monde. It makes Amuse look so much like a pre-schooler.

Will I go back? Yes. Maybe to try their cafe monde. But probably not in a long while.