Lollo at W Melbourne appoints Head Chef Tuan Tran

Lollo turns up the heat with a fresh new menu and nod to the south, while double-hatted Japanese restaurant Warabi announces a new head chef after a three-year search.

W Melbourne is elevating the food and beverage experiences in their signature restaurants, Lollo and Warabi, with a revitalised menu at Lollo and a new chef appointment at double-hatted restaurant, Warabi.

Bolstering the exciting revitalisation of the W Melbourne’s signature restaurants, Lollo welcomes a new Head Chef, Tuan Tran (ex-Nobu, Koko and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal), who has taken the much-loved destination into a bold new direction, with a decidedly southern lean inspired by the element of heat.

Roused by the depth of flavour that heat brings to a dish, Tran has created a menu featuring dishes touched by flame, spice or cooked within the show kitchen’s wood-fired oven.

Local produce also takes centre stage while playing with the idea of applying heat to amplify flavours. It is further complemented by Tran’s Southern Vietnamese heritage, which allows Lollo to showcase the multicultural Melbourne story on a plate.

“In southern Vietnamese cuisines, there is a big element of spice and heat, and I wanted to bring my heritage to the forefront and create a menu that heroes local produce in an interesting way. Heat can amplify flavours and produce beautifully, and each menu item will be ‘touched by heat’ in some way, shape or form,” said Tran.

Focusing on supporting local producers, Tran directly speaks with suppliers about what will work best on the menu, from the meat to the herbs. Stand-out dishes include free-ranged chicken breast, spice crust, lemon myrtle emulsion, and the O’Conner’s MB5+ dry-aged Tomahawk, served with hot mustards and horseradish and blow torched at the table on a bed of aromatics including thyme, garlic, rosemary and native herbs. All vegetables on the menu are also wood-fired in the Beech Oven.

Lollo dining room | Tran has created a menu featuring dishes touched by flame

Next door at Warabi, following an extensive three-year search to find the perfect fit, new chef Kyoto-born Hajime Horiguchi (ex-Ascott Thonglor Bangkok Hotel, Wasabi, Minamishima) brings a progressive, modern philosophy to the menu, anchored in traditional Japanese principles.

With a commitment to best produce, Horiguchi’s menu elements will change daily to reflect the market best and tell a story of the season it is served. Dishes like the K’Gari Spanner Crab with tosazu, kanimiso and caviar, and the signature unagi sushi are set to wow diners as part of the $285 per person omakase experience.

For more on W Melbourne, visit marriott.com