Lady Lunchalot

You’re never going to believe what O did last week.

He called me before lunch last Wednesday to tell me that our Brisbane friends, Jo and Dave, were in town for the night and that as it was Jo’s birthday the four of us were going to celebrate at one of my favourite restaurants, Da Noi. Jo and Dave often fly into town for a quick visit, and I was ecstatic about an out-of-the-blue dinner at Da Noi, so I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

But things weren’t quite as they seemed. O managed to explain away the “missed turn” that took us into the city instead of towards South Yarra, and as we turned into Spencer St he told me that he’d lied to me.

Jo and Dave were actually still in Brisbane and we weren’t going to Da Noi at all.

Instead he’d booked the two of us a table at Vue de Monde!

For those of you who haven’t heard of Vue de Monde, it’s a restaurant on Little Collins St that is ranked among the top 100 restaurants in the world, and has culinary virtuoso Shannon Bennett conducting the orchestra from the kitchen.

There was so much going on in this place (service, decor, wine - everything) and all of it amazing. Even the cutlery felt good in my mouth! But for the sake of simplicity I’ve decided just to focus on the food.

Vue de Monde offers a couple of different degustation menus. O and I decided to throw ourselves in the deep end and indulge in the full 10 course gastronome’s menu, complete with wine matching for each course.

Omigod.

We started with an amuse bouche (translates literally as “fun mouth”?) of a couple of escargots with champagne.

I have to say, when you start any evening with escargots and champagne, it’s already been a fantastic evening.

Next we moved on to dehydrated smoked salmon (they called it salmon jerky) with a fish emulsion and caviar, before picking up speed with poached pigeon served with an apple and parsnip remoulade and beetroot foam. Neither of us had tasted pigeon before and O cooed through the entire dish. I was surprised by how unpoultry-like it was. It tasted like a very rare, soft red meat.

Next up was one of my favourites - a five minute bouillabaisse, served over a tartare of crayfish and buffalo milk skin, finished with aromatic herbs and caviar. The dish came in an elaborate glass percolator complete with a small gas burner. The broth bubbled up from a glass decanter into a funnel which contained herbs and aromatics. When the burner was turned off, the broth cooled back down into the decanter, taking with it the essence of the herbs in the funnel. The stock was then poured over the crayfish, magically dissolving the mozzarella di buffala before your eyes.

Pure drama. I loved it.

As you can see, I didn’t take any photos. This was pretty deliberate. There’s no way my fuzzy amateur photography could do justice to such incredible food!

Vue de Monde was kind enough to send me the menu that we ate on the night, which I’ve listed below. I have to say, the meal cost an absolute bomb, but every mouthful was worth it. Each dish was truly a work of art, and I did feel a little as though I was in the Louvre for food.

I am so fortunate to have been able to have had such an amazing experience, and of course, such a thoughtful husband to surprise me with it. Thanks O, I love you!

If you ever get the opportunity, just hang the expense and go! It’s an experience you will never forget.

Our 10-Course Menu Gourmand from Vue de Monde

SAUMON AUX EPICES
Salmon jerky with salted fish emulsion and Sterling caviar
NV Larmandier Bernier Terre de Vertus Blanc de Blanc Champagne, France

SALADE DE PIGEON
Pigeon, poached, with an apple and parsnip remoulade, beetroot foam
NV Romate Sanchez NPU Amontillado Jerez, Spain

BOUILLABAISSE
5 minute bouillabaisse, tartare of crayfish and buffalo milk skin, finished with aromatic herbs and caviar
2004 Domaine Marc Bredif, Vouvray Loire Valley, France

PAIN PERDU ACCOMPAGNE DE SON FOIE GRAS
French toast and foie gras flavoured with eight spice
2004 Vinoptima Gewurztraminer Reserve Gisborne, New Zealand

MORUE DE MURRAY
Murray cod gently cooked ‘en sous-vide’ with a ginger and spring onion sauce, flavoured with spring onion and crispy chicken skin
2004 Domaine Fontaine Gagnard Clos St Jean 1er Cru Chassagne Montrachet Burgundy, France

CONSOMME FROID A LA TOMATE
Delicate tomato consommé with gazpacho jelly

AGNEAU BRAISE
Slow cooked lamb belly with confit loin, lamb bacon and fresh split garden peas
2004 Domaine Pierre Amadieu La Paillousse, Grenache Blend, Châteauneuf du Pape Burgundy, France

SALADE DE COCHONAILLE
Salad of Kurobuta pork and black pudding with cider-marinated carrot ribbons, finished with emulsified pan juices
2002 Château de Chambert La Causse Malbec Cahors, France

FROMAGE
Roy de Vallées with marinated beetroot Pyrénées, France
2005 Vue de monde by T’Gallant Pinot Gris Mornington Peninsula, VIC

GATEAU DE RIZ A LA MANDARINE
Mandarin served with mandarin flavoured rice pudding and encased in sugar
1999 Freiherr Heyl Herrnsheim Nierstein Riesling Ausliese Rheinhessen, Germany

GELEE DE COINGS ET SON SABLE
Quince gel with a frozen quince air and sand flavoured with Great Barrier Reef salt
NV Chambers Old Vine Muscadelle Grand Tokay Rutherglen, VIC.

NOTRE SELECTION DE CAFES, THES, INFUSIONS ET PETITS-FOURS
A selection of coffee, teas, infusions and miniature teacakes