Comments on: Vue De Monde, Melbourne

By: Suzie

Suzie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:51:52 +0000

I was there a while ago (about 2 yrs ago), and the thing that I liked about was that the food all seemed a bit witty and playful in concept and execution. It inspired me to the buy the cookbook, but the only thing I make from it regularly is the mushroom cappucino (which in my opinion is very good). I agree about the other diners …. but what else will you get when you charge that much for a meal?

By: Phil Lees

Phil Lees — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:05:36 +0000

I should have mentioned that Vue du Monde did get back to me with their menu, as follows:

AMUSE BOUCHE
Pea and jamon soup with a jamon tartare served with a confit quail yolk on a lettuce raft

SAUMON AUX EPICES
Salmon jerky with toasted brioche, smoked salmon veil, Sterling caviar and a fish emulsion

GNOCCHI AUX CHAMPIGNONS
Liquid cep gnocchi with mushrooms and tarragon emulsion

Cannellonis Á la tomate et au Jambon

Tomato cannelloni with Parmesan parfait, black olive powder and jamon Serrano Gran Reserva

PARFAIT DE FOIE D’OIE
Parfait of goose liver ‘powdered’, nasturcium leaves, crispy rice and Thai capsicum curry

TATAKI DE THON
Seared Blue Fin tuna and Blue Fin tuna tartare served with sweet corn purée and a salad of fennel, spring onion, soy yuzu noodle and sesame

JUS AU VERJUS
Liquid frozen verjus

LIÈVRE POCHÉ

Poached loin of hare with a garlic purée, carpaccio of chestnut, yeast air and bread lattice

NOTRE SÉLECTION DE CAFÉS, THÉS, INFUSIONS ET PETITS-FOURS

A selection of coffee, teas, infusions and petits-fours

By: Phil Lees

Phil Lees — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:53:05 +0000

Sticky – a menu came through, but it wasn’t mine. Here is what somebody else ate at Vue de Monde on the same night that I did – the only common dish was the amuse:

–

AMUSE BOUCHE – Pea and jamon soup with a jamon tartare served with a confit quail yolk on a lettuce raft

BOUILLABAISSE ‘EN CINQ MINUTES’ ET TARTARE DE KINGFISH – 5 minute bouillabaisse, tartare of kingfish, buffalo milk skin, finished with aromatic herbs, and a touch of theatre

RISOTTO AUX CHAMPIGNONS – Classically inspired cep and king brown mushroom risotto

PAIN PERDU ACCOMPAGNÉ DE FOIE GRAS – French toast, green apple purée and foie gras flavoured with eight spice and jamon Serrano Gran Reserva

TRUITE FUMÉE – Ocean trout with horseradish and baby beets, served with black cabbage and smoked at the table

JUS AU VERJUS – Liquid frozen verjus

MILLE FEUILLE DE CHEVREUIL – Venison loin, poached, with a mille feuille of braised leg meat and saffron mousseline topped with a petal

SALaDE DE FRUITS – Fruit salad

PULLET EGGS – Prune and Armagnac eggnog, pistachio custard, orange and white chocolate mousse, served in an egg carton

SoufflÉ Rothschild – Demoulded Grand Marnier soufflé with an apricot sauce

BISCUIT au chocolat – Michel Bras’ classic self-saucing Valrhona chocolate biscuit with mocha sauce, coffee and milk powder and iced double cream

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

By: Phil Lees

Phil Lees — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:42:37 +0000

Mel – I’m a big fan of pushing different industrial techniques as long as you’re not eating them every day of the week. I think that the point is that they’re difficult to replicate at home and that is why you pay a premium for them in a restaurant. I did feel like Vue du Monde uses the more “scientific” techniques – foams, the “sand”, gels – judiciously.

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:37:36 +0000

Great review and interesting place. I’m not a real “foodie”, so I’ve never quite seen the point in all these more scientific methods used in cooking – liquid nitrogen, etc. I guess I’m into the more “rustic” thang. I also hate gelatin.

Their gift shop sure is precious!

By: Thermomixer

Thermomixer — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:07:46 +0000

Lucky you didn’t get the truffles also. Not sure what to think about VdM. You really do need balance. The mushroom dish was likely to have been mushroom gnocchi produced a la Ferran Adria with sodium alginate/calcium chloride skin. Interesting to see the dried tomato skins – they probably added more of your umami. Lucky you didn’t wait for dessert – the smoking chocolate cigar might have been the death of you. I took a friend there for a birthday recently & we got to see the 2 thermomixes, liquid nitrogen Pacojet etc. on a show thru of the kitchen. There are some great ideas but maybe too many on one night?

By: Phil Lees

Phil Lees — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:16:52 +0000

Sticky – they did offer to send the menu through but it hasn’t arrived yet. I’d much rather write from my own impressions of a restaurant than rely upon their PR to fill the gaps.

D – I do wonder if the umami profile is deliberate because it’s such an easy thing to match with wine: just serve any wine that is loosely acidic/astringent/tannin-y. It gives the sommelier plenty of room to move. It’s also a flavour profile that is outside the general MSG-averse population’s experience.

By: Duncan | Syrup&Tang

Duncan | Syrup&Tang — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:15:29 +0000

What a simple, clear account of the dining experience. I had a similar ‘how much umami can a guy take?’ impression last year at Interlude, though it sounds like mine had more variety than yours. It’s an interesting issue. Robin Wickens didn’t regard it as a deliberate umami profile, but more one of seasoning appropriately. I wonder what Shannon Bennett would say?

By: stickyfingers

stickyfingers — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:08:53 +0000

Phil – that first paragraph – wow. So nice to read a review ov VDM devoid of sycophancy.

I noticed the question marks – did they not send you the menu afterwards? VDM keeps a record of the details so that you don’t get the same meal next time you visit.