Supernormal

Sea bream, white soy & ginger

New England Lobster roll

Whole roasted flounder, seaweed butter, potato & spring onion

Slow cooked Szechuan lamb to share

Spring onion pancake/ coriander paste (comes with the Szechuan lamb)

Apricot kernel custard, elderflower, raspberry & aloe vera

Peanut Butter Parfait, salted caramel & soft chocolate

SUPERNORMAL pretty lives up to its name. The menu wasn't beyond your imagination. You won't read the menu and raise an eyebrow at it. It's not even a menu that would confuse you like many others but it really was the best normal.

Stepping to Supernormal was like stepping into a silver land. The futuristic vibe of the restaurant was provided by the dominant metallic interior, toned down by wood decors. Situated on Flinders Lane (close to Swanston Street), Supernormal is a pretty hard to miss restaurant with its eye catching red neon light. The bar area and table area were split apart by a long 'corridor' in between, as if imitating a runway platform. You can feel the linearity of the building just beyond the door, as the style extends into the restaurant. The atmosphere of the restaurant was great as we see the busy bustling of waiters/waitresses running in and out of the kitchen.

Oh the wait was forever (okay, not forever but 40-50 minutes wait pretty much seemed like forever). We were seated at the bar area afterwards, facing the kitchen and feeling very hungry. As my eyes were taking in all of the menu, I knew I wanted the lobster roll. It wasn't hard to make decisions as we were situated across the semi-open kitchen with hawk like eyes on every single dish being put together. Something from the raw bar, lobster roll, mains and 'stressed' spelt backwards.

The sea bream from the raw bar was sea-fresh (ha. ha.) and a little bit of oil was used to retain the moisture of the raw fish. The seaweed taste was a little dominant and it tasted exactly like the korean roasted seaweed, Gim (or Kim). The ginger taste was subtle and added a refreshing taste to the dish.

Next up, it was my favourite, FAVOURITE dish of the night. Dun dun dun DUUUUUN: the New England Lobster Roll. It's a must try, must have, you-won't-regret-it dish. The bun was amazing, it was sweet and moist on the inside but a thin layer of crisp on the outside. It complimented the mouth watering poached lobster that was naturally sweet, mingling with a mustard like sauce. Just thinking about it makes me want to make a midnight run back to Supernormal.

The mains didn't make a lasting impression compared to the lobster roll. The flounder was cooked to perfection, the fish meat was firm, telling us it's definitely fresh. The lamb was Szechuan inspired but very different from the original Chinese dish. Tomato was used as the base of the sauce paired with Szechuan peppers and chilli oil. The lamb was tender and neither fatty or gamey.

We finished the meal of with desserts and ahhhhh I wanted to order every single one of it. We settled with the Peanut Butter Parfait and the Apricot kernel custard. The parfait was a combination of peanut butter, chocolate and salted caramel. It was a safe pairing but what surprised me was that the sweetness came from the salted caramel only. Hence, it wasn't overbearingly sweet that comes with most dessert like this. The crunchy peanuts added texture to the smoothness of the peanut butter and the chocolate. Those who love peanut butter? Go for it. The Apricot kernel custard are definitely for the fruity dessert lovers. It's sweet and refreshing, fragrant from the elderflower. Definitely recommend this to those who are very stuffed from a meal but still calls for dessert.

Conclusion: Kindon and I have already planned our next visit for the lobster roll and soft serve.

180 FLINDERS LANE
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
T. 03 9650 8688
INFO@SUPERNORMAL.NET.AU

SUNDAY TO THURSDAY
11AM – 11PM
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
11AM – MIDNIGHT

Vue De Monde

Open Kitchen @ Vue de Monde

Salt and Vinegar Crisps, Macadamia, Apple

Truffle marshmallow

Pine smoked salmon pearls

Tableware

BBQ Lamb Hearts

Salt Cured Wallaby

Salt Cured Wallaby

Salt Cured Wallaby

Smoked eel, white chocolate, caviar

Kangaroo, charcoal, onion

Kangaroo, charcoal, onion

Blackmore Wagyu, Smoked bone marrow, saltbush

Cucumber, wood sorrel

Cucumber, wood sorrel

Cucumber, wood sorrel

Cucumber, wood sorrel 

Barramundi, potato, chicken, caviar

Barramundi, potato, chicken, caviar

Tableware

Duck yolk, pear, truffle

Duck yolk, pear, truffle

Complimentary bread

Marron, marzipan, brown butter

Asparagus, Walnut, Apple

Kingfish, Kale, Buttermilk

Celery, coconut, lemon

Goats' milk, blueberries, fennel

Goats' milk, blueberries, fennel

Chocolate Soufflé

Assortment of cheeses, bread, jams 

Assortments of cheeses, bread, jams

Assortments of cheeses, bread, jams

Assortments of cheeses, bread, jams

Orange and Bourbon Jelly/Pork Crackling with White Chocolate/White Chocolate Shells

Raspberry Lamingtons

Eucalyptus Ice Cream

To put short, Vue de Monde was the finest dining experience of 2014 or in our words, the bomb. They say a picture speaks a thousand words and we've got... quite a few. Moreover, the 10 course degustation was a rather long journey (5 hours to be exact) where they first entertain with some fancy snacks before introducing the starters. Every course appeared gastronomy like, as expected. Meat were cooked perfectly and smoky at the same time, ingredients fresh and each plate looked immaculate.

Not going to lie, it felt like twenty different plates were served that night and it became a blur as time went by (unexpected on our part). Hence, we will only mention a few of the memorable ones and our dining experience as one.

The complimentary snacks had us anticipating for the actual meal as it was already out of ordinarily good. The crisps served with the velvety sauce made of apple and macadamia was amazing texture and flavour wise. The truffled marshmallow was light and foamy and the salmon pearls were every bit of fresh.

The eel of the appetizer was coated in white chocolate, almost like it was caramelized by it. The fish itself went well with the caviar on top and tasted as good as it sounds. The salt cured wallaby was brought to the table on a salt plate, where they wrapped each piece up with chopsticks to place it on a stone dish. Presentation points added.

The marron was faultless. It was cooked to perfection and juicy. Already divine to have on its own with it's intense natural taste, the buttery, almost toffee like sauce was an added accompaniment.

A personal favourite dish of the whole night was the cucumber, wood sorrel. To be very honest, although each course were bite sized, they are fully flavoured and rich. The cucumber, wood sorrel was served between the course, refreshing us from the previous plates. Moreover, being a sucker for gimmicks, the dish required nitrogen and a little pestle. Giving a tiny effort to grind the ingredients together made me feel so chuffed. Like I contributed to this masterpiece. It was a cold, savoury sorbet and I had two. My friend was wrinkling her nose at it and gave her share to me (The one pounded by me was soooooo much better though. Just saying.)

The goat's milk, blueberry and fennel pannacotta was a nice finish to the savoury courses we had. It was creamy and sweet but the sharpness of the blueberry cut in to balance it. As a sweet tooth, dessert can't really go wrong in my book but a few of my friends found the goat's milk gamy. The waitress was really sweet about it and changed her dessert into something more tropical. By the time the Chocolate Souffle came I was stuffed. It was soft and rich in chocolate, a well praised dessert by people around me. My appetite did wake up though when the cheese arrived. Their selection was just beyond fine. I'm no cheese expert but if you are just looking for a place with cheese and wine- Vue. de. Monde.

The view was spectacular, Melbourne's best skyscraper lighting up right beneath you. We caught the sun setting during our meal, which despite the classy environment Vue de Monde presents, it gave us, the diners, a feeling of relaxation and warmth. Perfect spot for not only couples but families and friends as well. That being said, the decor of the restaurant was the definition of class. The lighting, theme, artworks and table decoration worked in harmony. Where wood and rocks seem to be the main theme of the decor,  black or dark colours in general, contributed to the elegance and sophistication the restaurant brings. Tableware were laid upon stones and leather blanketed the tables. Each spoon, knife and fork had such intricate designs carved on them, I wished I could own at least that one teaspoon at home. Meals were also presented in stones, salt plates and bamboo. The tables were generously set apart so privacy was assured, each table were carefully attended.
On to the service. Impeccable. What could beat waiters and waitresses setting each meal in sync, making sure to pull the chair in and out for when you need a quick run to the bathroom? Oh wait. Chefs and kitchen hands were included with servicing. Mmmhmm. Service was no horsing around in Vue de Monde.

The whole dining journey was truly a refined one and the restaurant made sure you get what you pay for.  Keep in mind that some of the courses are truly flavoured and some diners may not find it acceptable. So when making a booking, it's best to let them know what you would like to avoid in the meal. The restaurant is definitely not somewhere you would keep returning to due to the price but it is an once in a lifetime experience. Now we've just ticked off one thing in our bucket list. Thank you Vue de Monde!