By Madhurima Haque|
When you hear of an AI-generated restaurant, you would probably think of a clean, sterile environment which two bites of food served by robot waiters. But Luminary by RAFI, Australia's first-ever AI-generated restaurant, is anything but.
Luminary, a pop-up restaurant being held for one week only at RAFI in North Sydney, from July 29 to August 5, was first conceptualised with the help of artificial intelligence. However, many of the dishes are actually inspired by the natural elements that make up our world.
The unique concept was shaped by Perth local Stephanie Wee, who was announced the winner of a competition hosted by Applejack hospitality (which owns RAFI), which aimed to find and launch Australia's first ever AI-generated restaurant concept earlier this year.
Watch the video above.
READ MORE: Teagan quit her job after dropping $25k on a four-month holiday
Wee used ChatGPT and Canva AI, inputting prompts such as "high-end, experimental and unique" for her creation, which resulted in an embodiment of the "art of illumination", which the Applejack team gravitated to after seeing the popularity of Vivid Sydney lights and music festival.
"When we first read the concept submission for Luminary, we were instantly intrigued by its innovative and immersive nature," Joanna Steuart, director of marketing and partnerships at Applejack, told 9Honey previously.
"The utilisation of ChatGPT and the insightful prompts provided by the winner, Stefanie, served as a valuable guide on how to bring this concept to life. It presented a challenge that would push the boundaries of what we have previously accomplished, inviting us to explore uncharted territory.
"What truly resonated with us was how seamlessly Luminary aligned with the core values and essence of our North Sydney restaurant, RAFI. Integrating this immersive experience into our existing brand provided a unique opportunity to build upon the exceptional dining standards and excitement that our guests have grown to anticipate when visiting RAFI."
Illuminating light was also promised to be a key feature of the pop-up restaurant's ambience, with Steuart adding, "When dining, guests will experience a light and sound experience themed around the four elements. From the moment they step through the doors, they will be immersed in a world where the interplay of light, food, and drinks creates an unforgettable sensory journey."
In terms of décor, they certainly delivered with this claim. The restaurant was decked out in otherworldly decorations. Orange lamps resembling coral and potted plants resembling seaweed hung from the ceiling, which was covered with a textured paper canopy that also added to the "under the sea" vibe.
The rotating light in the middle made it seem like it was rays of light shining from the surface of a body of water, penetrating through the surface to provide diners with the most natural source of light.
READ MORE: The kitchen gadgets you didn't know you needed in 2023
Dry ice filled the venue with a hazy effect that was almost dreamlike, which was added to with the psychedelic music that was playing in the background.
The menu also encapsulated RAFI's mission of using fresh, local ingredients. Luminary's menu is split into Water, Earth, Fire and Air, with the first two elements providing smaller entrée dishes, whereas the mains fall under Fire and the desserts are inspired by Air.
One thing to note for those who don't drink alcohol is that there are no alcohol-free drinks on the menu for Luminary, nor can the available drinks be made non-alcoholic. We had to choose from their regular "Free from booze" drink menu, going with the Cuban Spritz, which was a refreshing lime concoction with a hint of mint.
From the Water menu, we chose the Scallop with ponzu, sea grapes, caper leaves and seaweed ($27), as well as the South Coast tuna with tomato, tahini, and iridescent chilli oil ($32).
The scallops were served under a bed of cucumber slices and were soaked in an acidic, vinegary dressing that added the perfect touch to the pillowy soft scallops. The seaweed, sea grapes, and capers – while also adding acidity – made the dish taste unmistakably of the sea, paying homage to it's origins.
The South Coast tuna – a recommendation from the server – was by far the best dish we had tasted that night. You would think a dish floating in oil would be heavy, but this one was light and even a little bit sweet, owing to the caramelised onions that accompanied the smoky and fragrant chilli oil.
Spooning it together with the blistered cherry tomato and cucumber provided a literal flavour explosion in our mouths, and the sesame and sunflower seeds sprinkled over the top provided an amazing crunchy texture.
READ MORE: Harry Styles announces donation to 'wrong' Sydney zoo
From the Earth menu, we chose the grilled zucchini with pistachio, mint, and stracciatella ($18), as well as the crispy eggplant with spices, honey and herbs ($21).
The smokiness of the grilled zucchini helped it feel grounded and warm, and when paired with the cheese added a lightness to it. The dish was also topped with nuts, which added a nice crunchy texture.
The crispy eggplant was also a fan favourite. The batter was perfectly light and crunchy, and the spices – the most prominent being chilli and cumin – added an earthy warmth to the dish, which was perfectly complemented by the fresh coriander and mint leaves.
The eggplant was also drizzled with honey which added a slight hint of sweetness to the otherwise grounded dish that reminded us of home.
From the Fire section, we chose the 600g Angus Ribeye with RAFI condiments (market price but came out to around $100), as well as the Grilled lamb backstrap with mint salsa verde and an alchemy of quince mostarda ($58).
The steak came out literally smoking, with the garnish of leaves literally still exhibiting embers from the fire. We ordered it medium, though medium rare was recommended.
The steak – while grilled very well and providing a nice smoky flavour, especially when it interacted with the smoked leaves which added an earthy fragrance – was heavily salted with sea salt. The provided condiments – vegan mayo, chimichurri, and jalapeno – also pack a punch, so be cautious when loading up your meat and go a little at a time to get the intended effect.
The grilled lamb backstrap was also served fairly rare, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, aided by the layer of crusted fat on the bottom.
The flavour is only enhanced with a squeeze of lemon, and the mint salsa verde added a robust taste. The quince mostarda, a mustard-like sauce flavoured with the fruit, dotted all over the dish, added a slight sweetness.
READ MORE: The best travel backpacks for carrying your holiday essentials
In hindsight, we realised we shouldn't have ordered two main meat dishes as it ended up being a bit too heavy.
Finally we come to Air, choosing both dessert options – Coconut espuma with pearls, pineapple and mezcal ($18), and the Whipped Chocolate mousse, salted caramel and hazelnut tart ($20). Funnily enough, dessert seemed like the "lightest" portion of the meal – perhaps this was done intentionally?
We began with the coconut espuma, a foam which was created with a whipping siphon bottle which is commonly used in molecular gastronomy, our server explained. It created a decadent yet airy coconut cream which topped a mixture of tapioca pearls, chunks of pineapple, and mezcal (which in my opinion was very bitter, but that might be because I don't drink). I did like the combination of the ribbons of lemongrass and nutty flakes of coconut garnishing the espuma.
Finally, perhaps the "safest" option when it came to this menu, was the Whipped Chocolate mousse, salted caramel and hazelnut tart. You can't go wrong with dark chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut, and we enjoyed every bite of this dessert, including the candied nuts that garnished the dish and added a contrasting crunch to the mousse.
So what's the verdict? Did the pop-up live up to it's claims of AI-generated concept. In our opinion, not entirely.
When you think of AI, especially a concept that is meant to be inspired by lights and Sydney's Vivid light festival, you think of something very modern, technological, and advanced.
READ MORE: Woman cancels her brother's wedding without telling him
However, the addition of the elements – Water, Earth, Air, and Fire – pares it down to the building blocks of our world, which is in direct contrast to the advanced, sci-fi-inspired concept that was first generated by the AI and was what was used as an idea of what the pop-up would look like.
I did appreciate the attempt to draw from the concept of bioluminescence and the natural light that occurs in nature, which was seen most explicitly in the décor.
I feel I would've appreciated it more if I was actually seated in that section which was located in a terrace-like area outside of the "normal" part of the restaurant I was seated in.
I feel if they leant into this part of the concept more from the get-go, it would've made more sense for the restaurant itself, especially since they utilised the fresh ingredients so well to create dishes made from and inspired by nature.
So what do you think? Would you be willing to try this experimental new restaurant?
This writer dined as a guest of Luminary by RAFI.
For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Auto news: 2022 Maserati SUV lineup due by the end of the year – drive.com.au
© 2023 Nine Entertainment Co.