Degustation the Plant-Based Way: Inside Shu's Vegan Tasting Menu
Not to be dramatic, but this vegan degustation Melbourne might ruin other set menus for you. At Shu, we've taken the idea of fine dining, spun it through a Sichuan spice storm, and served it up as a high-quality 10-course plant-based experience that's bold, cheeky, and full of surprises.
It's the kind of meal where you don't ask what's coming next; you just trust the journey, sip your wine, and try not to make weird noises after every bite (no promises).
Curious? Hungry? Mildly intrigued? Good. Let's go.
Every dish has a part to play.
Shu's tasting menu isn't just ten random dishes strung together. Our vegan degustation is built like a playlist, with each course having its own mood, energy, and reason for showing up.
Some hit hard with spice and smoke, while others whisper, all clean crunch and delicate balance. But they're all doing something: setting the tone, building momentum, and flipping expectations.
We don't start heavy. We ease you in. We tease, nudge, then go big.
You'll move from bright, acidic pops to deep umami slow-burns. Cool things. Hot things. Things that look like one thing and taste like another.
That contrast? It's intentional. That silence after a bite? Also intentional.
We want you to experience a plant-based journey, not a greatest-hits menu (though let's be real, if there's a "Top 3 Bangers" list of vegan degustation menu Melbourne, we'll probably own it!).
Every course tells part of the story. And the story only works if each dish knows its role.
We use Sichuan fire to tell new stories.
Shu grew up eating (or should we say living) Sichuan food. That energy, that spice, that art of building flavour? It's baked into the bones of this restaurant.
And while the 10-course tasting menu doesn't serve Sichuan classics straight-up, every dish is crafted with that same fire, just explored through a different lens.
You'll taste it in the way we:
Dry-fry mushrooms until they hit that smoky, chewy, borderline-life-changing level of indulgence
Use pickling and fermentation for tang, funk, and the kind of bold contrast that turns a good meal into a dining experience
Let ma la (that spicy, numbing Sichuan signature) show up in snacks, mains, even dessert (because why not?)
Treat oils, acids, and heat like brushstrokes, always moving the dish (and your tastebuds) forward
Our tasting menu is about reimagining flavour through Melbourne's seasonal produce, plant-based innovation, and just enough chaos to keep things exciting.
One favourite dish might be a silky tofu served cold and sharp; the next, a fire-roasted skewer that crackles like a Friday night event.
You don't have to know much about Sichuan to enjoy it. Just come hungry, bring your drink, and let us do the rest. Whether it's a mid-week treat or an intimate celebration, we've got your table ready.
Plants give us more freedom, not less.
People still ask us, "But don't you get bored cooking without meat?" Honestly? It's the opposite. Going fully plant-based blew the kitchen wide open. No rules. No crutches. Just ingredients that demand creativity, not repetition.
We lean into the weird and the wonderful: smoked shiitakes that taste like fire and umami, fermented pumpkin that hits like aged cheese, house-made oils that hum with spice and citrus.
Without animal fat, we build depth differently, through texture, fermentation, layering, and tension. It's not about swapping in a mock version of the "real thing." It is the real thing.
Freedom means we're not tied to what a dish "should" be. It just has to be memorable. And with the produce we've got, be it local, seasonal, or vibrant, unforgettable is the baseline.
We won't give it all away, but here's a little taste.
This signature tasting menu is Shu's love letter to the Sichuan flavours we grew up with: reimagined, rebalanced, and completely plant-based.
Each course celebrates local produce and spice with serious flair. Add a cocktail on arrival, three glasses of premium wine, and a dessert pairing, and it's no longer just dinner but a night out with main character energy.
Planning a date night? Celebrating something? Or just bored with your usual Uber Eats routine? This is the upgrade.
We won't spoil the whole menu, but here's a little taste of what's hit the table lately:
Chilled silken tofu with fermented soy beans, seaweed caviar, and fish mint (silky, savoury, and cooler than you'll ever be).
Grilled mushroom skewers stacked with oyster, king oyster, wood ear, and shiitake (smoky, juicy, and suspiciously addictive).
Cashew mousse with silver ear jelly and matcha syrup, smooth, wobbly, slightly weird, and dangerously good. (Bonus points if you add the hand-piped bean flower.)
That's it. That's your sneak peek. The rest? You'll just have to trust us (and your appetite!).
You don't have to be vegan to love it.
Don't get us wrong; we love our plant-based regulars. But when we designed this menu, we weren't thinking about labels. We were thinking about flavour.
Texture. Surprise. Emotional reactions.
This is for people who get bored easily, who chase heat, and who love when something crunchy gives way to something soft and then hits with a blast of chilli vinegar.
We've had chefs, steak lovers, wine snobs, and chilli addicts walk in and leave stunned, not because the food was "good for vegans," but because it was just… delicious. Full stop.
Honestly? That's our favourite kind of feedback. The "I-didn't-know-plants-could-do-that" moment. We live for it.
Come with an open mind and we'll handle the rest.
No need to overthink it because this isn't a test. It's a 10-course party for your mouth. You don't have to be vegan. You don't even have to know what Sichuan is (though you'll definitely know after dessert).
Just be open, be curious, and maybe wear pants with some stretch. And if you're still hungry after ten courses? We'll see you at our all-you-can-eat yum cha buffet every Saturday/Sunday. Challenge accepted.
Looking for tips on how to score a table or join us for our next plant-fuelled feast? Scroll through our social pages and let's get you sorted.