Vue de Monde

• Overall 9 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 8, Service 8

  food was fabulous, i don't think i've eaten a better truffle omelet as the flavours just linger on in your mouth for some time before you drain it down with some excellent complimentary wine. every aspect of the restaurant was top notched and impeccable. service was good except for the emotionless expressions on the server's faces. the liquified ice was a bit of a surprise as was the white chocolate dessert with the insides oozing out of the cookie pastry. great experience overall, would definitely go back to try out new menus.   (See my reviews (7) - July, 2009)

• Overall 9.3 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 7, Service 10

  The experience of dining here was unbelievable, I cannot ever remember a time I have enjoyed going to a restaurant more. The food was out of this world, excellently presented, beautifully prepared and tasted like nothing else. The sommelier was also very good and when you go, have the matching wines if you can as this was just as much fun as the surprise with each course.

  The only slight disappointment was the price. I was told the degustation menu was $150, but as truffles were in season and you were encouraged to try them, it added to the price considerably, as did the wines and the dessert course, so the total was $292 just for one. It was a bit of a shock, but at the same time, I think you need to pay for excellence and this is what you get here.   (Websie - See my reviews (3) - May, 2009)

• Overall 10 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 10, Service 10

  The food was divine and the service was impeccable   (CorryG - May, 2009)

• Overall 9 - Food 10, Ambience 9, Value 7, Service 10

  The timely arrival of the government stimulus payment provided me with the opportunity to boost the local economy with some friends at Vue de Monde. This was a truly special dining experience which I would recommend doing at least once if you enjoy food.

  A few things to watch out for if you are going there for the first time:

  When you are welcomed by your waiter there is some subtle pressure to go for the $250 gastronome 9 course "to truly experience the complete dining experience......." don't feel pressured the 5 course menu is just lovely with a wide variety of flavours and clever cooking techniques. I am a healthy eater and I felt satisfied at the end of the meal.

  If you order the 5 course menu (menu gourmand) you will find it finishes at a meat course. The waiter then came to us and asked if we would like to order anything else as we had reached the end of the 5 courses. So of course- we added an extra dessert course to finish off the meal.

  However we probably would not have done so if we had known that we would also receive a fruit driven palate cleanser, 3 very rich and delicious egg based desserts and a selection of beautiful hand made petit-fours as well !

  If you are driving ( as I was) you can ask for half measures of matched wines for each each course at $10 a course. For a 5 course meal this will add up to 2.5 std drinks over the meal. I would highly recommend this as the wines really do complement each dish. One small gripe I had here was when I ordered the extra dessert course I was served (without requesting) a glass of tokay -despite informing the sommelier at the start of the meal that I was driving and wanted to limit my alcohol intake.

  All in all a wonderful dining experience.   (claire - April, 2009)

• Overall 9.5 - Food 10, Ambience 9, Value 9, Service 10

  This place is head and shoulders above anywhere else in Melbourne. A must experience at least once in a lifetime!!   (Josh - December, 2008)

• Overall 10 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 10, Service 10

  The most amazing experience - food, wine, service, ambience, the works. The degustation with matched wines is a must do, at least once in your life.   (JacquiOz - See my reviews (4) - October, 2008)

• Overall 5.3 - Food 9, Ambience 8, Value 1, Service 3

  The begining and end were disappointing but the food was great, the waiting staff were OK, the wine waiter great - to the point of theatrical. Booking - my wife was informed that she had tried to book too far in advance and would have to call back in a few days as they were not taking bookings at that time for the date we wanted, and it took and hour for us to get our bill!!!! Customer service 101 failed. For the price there are no excuses for either of these two errors to have occured. I can see how on a good night when it all comes together it is amazing - unfortunaltely we didin't go on one of those nights.   (Tim - October, 2008)

• Overall 10 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 10, Service 10

  Fantastic.   (Hello - June, 2008)

• Overall 3.3 - Food 5, Ambience 3, Value 1, Service 4

  Vue de Monde was highly recommended by a friend and as I love all aspects of dining I was exciting about experiencing Vue de Monde. Sadly, I was very disappointed. Whilst I found Vue de Monde to be "scientifically entertaining" due to the chef's use of dry ice etc.. I was disappointed to find the flavours uninteresting. The waiters, whilst knowledgable, were pompous - even going so far as to criticise my dinner partner on 2 occasions - firstly for leaving a piece of liver on the plate (about the size of a 10 cent coin) and secondly to criticise for leaving a small piece of apple skin on the plate. Fortunately we had enough sense of humour to find the evening amusing however we will not be returning to Vue de Monde. Furthermore, we dined at Jacques Reymond just 4 days later and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect. For 2 restaurants of comparable pricing, I would strongly recommend Jacques Reymond over the two.   (E.CM - April, 2008)

• Overall 4.3 - Food 4, Ambience 3, Value 1, Service 9

  Well if you love jelly like produce here is you restaurant !!!!

  A fixed dinning experience with same same tastes in each dish all which consisted of sometype of seaweed derived jelly substance fine for some not OK with me. The menu lacked striking flavours and the subtel flavour sensations I was looking for only 2 dishes were memorable but nothing outstanding. The service was good but 6 different waiters does not equal one excellent one. Over priced and average in my opion. We would not go back.   (SB - February, 2008)

• Overall 9.3 - Food 10, Ambience 9, Value 8, Service 10

  awesome place   (February, 2008)

• Overall 9 - Food 9, Ambience 10, Value 9, Service 8

  I went to Vue De Monde a couple of months ago and thought it was just amazing. I had been wanting to go for so long as so many people had recommended to me, and usual high expectations meet with disappointment, but I must admit, not this time for me!

  This place is amazing! The service is fantastic, as you would expect for the prices you pay. Although I have to admit I found the service was better at Jacques Reymond. I do have one negative comment and that is that I found it hard to understand the waiters sometimes when they were explaining the dish because of their French accents.

  I had the chef's choice degustation menu and loved it. There was one dish that was a little over the top and I didn't enjoy (I think it was like an egg and melon something rather), but besides that everything was perfect. It is definitely worth waiting for truffle season before you go to Vue De Monde too...Nothing short of amazing that dish. The meals came out at the perfect times, if not too fast, but I put that down to my fantastic company at the time and our ability to chatter all through the night.

  I don't know much about wines, but I can't complain about them here, they were amazing and our sommelier knew her wines very well.

  All in all, thumbs up from me. Definitely a 'must go to' place!   (Naomi Foster - February, 2008)

• Overall 10 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 10, Service 10

  Best restaurant in Australia   (January, 2008)

• Overall 8 - Food 9, Ambience 7, Value 7, Service 9

  One of the best...I don't regret paying money... I want to say "I enjoyed and I'll go back there for a fantastic meal again" No comment for wine as i'm not a drinker.   (darkchoc5372 - See my reviews (3) - January, 2008)

• Overall 5.5 - Food 7, Ambience 6, Value 1, Service 8

  Extremely expensive. Food was good but the servings so stingy that a feeling of resentment on our part was unavoidable. You can eat as well or better in this town for less $   (PB - See my reviews (4) - July, 2007)

• Overall 5.5 - Food 5, Ambience 5, Value 5, Service 7

  My first time at Vue de Monde was when they were in Carlton. The person I had gone to dinner with left sick, not due to the food, she had a stomach bug. I was left by myself! The staff took care of me, moved me closer to the kitchen, the experience was truly unforgettable. Food was excellent.. so was the service.

  Move forward a couple of years, had a birthday dinner party at their CBD location.. Food was OK. Took way too long between courses. The first course which had jellied truffles, was insipid as rice paper. As anyone who has had truffles before, the aroma of these delicacies is amazing, take away the aroma, and the actual truffle, regardless whether it is black or white, isnt that expectacular. Wagyu was alright (but I have to say, I dont like the after-taste regardless who cooks it). There were no memorable dishes.

  The environment/atmosphere, for my taste (and some might find it modern/progressive/cool), was too “Bauhaus school of design meets Freedom” and not cozy. I really doubt I’ll be going back to Vue de Monde. All the people I convinced to come with me were disappointed.. I was embarrassed..

  Taste is such a personal thing, that I often hesitate to recommend restaurants. I consider myself a modern girl with a taste for traditionalism, so if you are after modern French cuisine, elegant surroundings, a special occasion sort of place, I recommend Jacques Reymond, I havent been disappointed yet.   (Paula Nicholson - See my reviews (13) - April, 2007)

• Overall 8.3 - Food 10, Ambience 8, Value 8, Service 7

  In our opinion the best Melbourne has to offer   (Morgan - April, 2007)

• Overall 9.5 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 8, Service 10

  Fabulous.   (Rachel - January, 2007)

• Overall 8.3 - Food 9, Ambience 8, Value 8, Service 8

  The food was fantastic.   (Nerky - January, 2007)

Plus Overall 8.3 - Food 9, Ambience 8, Value 7, Service 9 From 15 reviews