CULINARY PLAYGROUND
There are few phrases more dissimilar than “fine dining” and “family-friendly”. But the Altitude Lunch Package at Eureka 89 is turning that notion on its head.
WORDS Simon Jones
As we stroll up to the base of Melbourne’s (Naarm) famous Eureka Tower – with a literal stroller in hand – I have to wonder whether I’m overdressed for the occasion. Dozens of excited tourists are waiting for Melbourne Skydeck to open its doors at midday. All are dressed in casual clothes, whereas our family of four – with a four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son – are done up to the nines. Because we have a very different midday appointment.
Eureka 89 has been a staple of Melbourne’s fine-dining scene for quite some time, but it’s only in the past six months that the restaurant has broadened its horizons and started to offer a lunch package for families. The Altitude Dining Experience still meets all the criteria of exceptional degustation – as evidenced by award-winning executive chef Renee Martillano’s masterful assortment of cuisines – but families with children are now encouraged to take the 300-metre ascent to the very top of Melbourne Skydeck.
My eldest excitedly smashes the elevator button for Eureka 89 and we are swiftly – ever-so swiftly – lifted towards the heavens. After exiting at level 88, where we will return after dining to experience everything the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere has to offer, we are ushered into a private elevator that takes us to what is in no uncertain terms the swankiest establishment my children have ever been to.
I shouldn’t have worried about feeling overdressed. Eureka 89 exudes class. We are whisked to a corner table with an incredible view of the city – the restaurant and adjacent function rooms are blanketed in floor-to-ceiling windows around the entire floor – Port Melbourne meandering to our right, the stunning Albert Park showing off to our left. Perhaps most important of all, there’s enough Sunday traffic below for my youngest to entertain us with shouts of “Car!” for brief pockets of our 90-minute lunch.
After a round of delightful cocktails – and tasty mocktails for the little ones – our dining experience begins in earnest. Martillano outdoes herself with sumptuous Harvey Bay scallops and a symphony of celeriac for entrée, while mains deliver a melt-in-your-mouth slow-roasted pumpkin for my wife and undeniably the most succulent roasted beef fillet I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying.
The kids aren’t disappointed either. Both tuck into generous portions of locally sourced fish and chips while the parents watch Melbourne Skydeck’s ‘Edge’ extend and retract with dozens of those same excited tourists we spotted downstairs. But the best was left for last: two heapings of gourmet ice cream to replenish the children’s energy levels for what was to come. For the adults, we fell in love with Martillano’s interpretation of a deconstructed apple parfait and a cheesemonger selection to finish.
After more than a few trips around the entirety of Eureka 89 – guided lovingly by the knowledgeable staff, who generously point out interesting tidbits on the city skyline – the kids are ready to get to the exciting stuff. Fair enough, Mum and Dad have had their fun; now it was time for the real action to begin.
We exit via the private elevator into the bustling Melbourne Skydeck. While it’s busy, there is plenty of room to move around and enjoy everything the experience has to offer – even with a stroller in tow. The whole family takes in the major landmarks of Melbourne, and much to my kids’ delight we even manage to spot our local lake care of a well-placed viewfinder. My eldest wants to “ride” the flying fox through a virtual reality Melbourne, but she has to be satisfied with watching tourists instead.
As part of the Altitude Dining Experience, guests are treated to complimentary activities including the Voyager Theatre – a virtual reality experience that takes you on an immersive journey through 16 of Melbourne’s most iconic places, from the Yarra River (Birrarung) to street-artfilled laneways and so much more. It’s a pretty incredible experience, and while it was hugely enjoyable for the adults, it’s more for older kids rather than young ones who don’t exactly like to be straddled by a VR headset.
Given the incredibly family-friendly welcome at Eureka 89 and the wealth of experiences to be had at Melbourne Skydeck, we will be back to make a day of it in the near future.