Restaurant Design: Vue de Monde by Elenberg Fraser

I am always fond of black – it reminds me of something sophisticated, elegant and sleek and the Vue de Monde caught my attention. On top of it all, it received the Hospitality Design Award for 2012 and perhaps you know the reason why. This Melbournian restaurant is proud of its inky black interiors designed by Elenberg Fraser, which is reminiscent of how the Yarra River flood plain would look prior to settlement.

For me, this is the “It” restaurant and perhaps it is Melbourne’s, too. If I am not mistaken, they would have overflowing restaurant of the year awards already. There is nothing for Vue de Monde to prove when it comes to the public but personally the growing anticipation of diners going the new premises of the restaurant is almost physical – like ready to jump out of the blue so in this sense the amazing restaurant has everything to prove.

Elenberg Fraser created and developed the concept of the hospitality design and it got the attention it deserved. While people would primarily rate a restaurant for the food and drinks as well as the services, the environment is part and parcel of their dining experience. This is what matters when Elenberg Fraser developed the concept for this beautiful restaurant – or at least as much as I believe so because of the sophistication oozing from the restaurant’s every corner.

The restaurant design includes the huge function space as well as the rich and superior quality bar. For me, it is undeniably the most deliberate and thoughtful hospitality interior of Melbourne. I love the fact that they chose black in combination with elemental treatment in the form of fittings and furniture. The view is almost panoramic – not to mention that it is black! Did I say black again? Well, that’s how much I love the amazing restaurant interiors.

Sleek, sweet, intimate and romantic – these are the things that are going through my mind right now and it just doesn’t stop there. The broad ambience of Vue de Monde has been dissected into more literal details and it has always kept my attention to where it belongs to. The pendant lights in the dining room are simply dazzling and emphasize the subtle intimacy and romance of the space.

If there is anything that I like about this restaurant apart from its darkness, it is the fact that the ambience it creates evoked the sense of the hopeless romantic in me. The sensual gravity of the furniture and fixture is absolutely there and it transforms a meal to experience.