Vue de Monde has a knack for reinvention. It may have adhered to high-end dégustation restaurant tropes (impressive, expensive wine list included) since opening early this century, but a series of chef and venue changes means Vue has had its distinct eras. And the latest, with executive chef Hugh Allen in charge and a sensitive renovation under its belt, is a doozy. Under Allen, flavour – deliciousness, if you like – is of equal importance to the flash and dazzle of elevated technique. There’s an exciting high-low rhythm to his 16-ish courses. An earthy combo of lamb sweetbreads, cabbage and fermented koji precedes a masterclass in handling brilliant wagyu, here teamed with diced, luxuriously textured maitake mushrooms. Marron arrives first as glistening tail and then “innards” served in a superb egg custard while wakame joins avocado in a tiny, exquisitely presented tart. Service, and the view, remain high points in what is arguably Vue’s best era yet.
