Since the 1970s, Melbourne’s strong Vietnamese restaurant offering was a typically unadorned affair, with plastic chairs, fluorescent strip lighting and surly service being the main ingredients. But when Uncle hit the bayside suburb of St Kilda nearly four years ago, its pairing of Vietnamese flavours, colourful décor and soul-driven soundtrack made it an instant hit. Now, Chef Dai Duong and front-of-house Rene Spence are back at it, this time on Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD.
Set one level up among the leaves of the street’s famed Plane trees, designers Foolscap Studio have again created a warm, colourful and enjoyably informal space. Decorative cane screens and hand-finished cane pendant lights channel a touch of provincial Vietnam, while geometric colour-blocked flooring, customised leaf-pattern shade screens and denim-aproned floor staff anchor the venue in the now.
From behind the granite topped bar, bartenders pump out classics with a Viet inspired twist, such as a Bloody Mary with holy basil and chilli pickle, and Spring Street – a cocktail of gin, basil syrup, lychee, bitters, lime and prosecco. Like the flavours on each of Duong’s plates, from bao and banh mi to larger plates such as a barramundi fillet with tamarind caramel, the balances of sour, spicy, bitter, salty and sweet are distinct.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Level 1, 15 Collins Street
-
In need of validation in a narcissistic world? Reflect on the power of mirrorsHave you ever spoken to your reflection and told it that you love it? Look into your eyes, and give it a go - here are a few mirrors to help
-
A striking new cinema glows inside Madrid’s Reina Sofia MuseumBarcelona-based studio Bach reimagines a historic auditorium as a crimson-and-blue dreamscape
-
How an Austin home went from 'Texan Tuscan' to a lush, layered escape inspired by the AlhambraThe intellectually curious owners of this Texas home commissioned an eclectic interior – a true ‘cabinet of curiosities’ layered with trinkets and curios
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
The Calile Hotel is an urban resort reframing BrisbaneA seven-storey refuge in Fortitude Valley, The Calile Hotel bridges tropical retro with urban polish, elevating Brisbane’s hospitality landscape
-
Mondrian makes waves at Burleigh Heads with a striking Australian debutMondrian Gold Coast emerges as a sculptural new anchor for Burleigh Heads, pairing surf-side glamour with global polish
-
Rediscover a classic midcentury hotel in SydneyFK leads a major renovation of the landmark Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel, pairing 1960s modernism with an elevated, Australian-minded reset
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter: ‘a lush restaurant with rooms’In Sydney’s Paddington, chef Josh Niland opens the 14-bedroom luxury hotel alongside his pioneering restaurant
-
Book a brutalist one-room wonder Down Under, the Vipp Tunnel in TasmaniaThe Danish design brand's bookable showcases arrive in the southern hemisphere, thanks to the vision of Tasmanian architectural firm Room 11
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Eve Hotel Sydney: a lush urban escapeA new Sydney hotel makes a bold and biophilic addition to a buzzing neighbourhood that’s on the up
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Lo Scoglio: an Australian vacation rental with regenerative principlesTucked away in Byron Bay’s hinterland, an Italian-style farmhouse presents a sustainable approach to luxury
