Din Tai Fung’s new Melbourne restaurant recently opened at the Emporium Melbourne with its ambience already drawing attention for design innovation and space usage.

Famous for their crowds and queues, Din Tai Fung’s new 235-seat restaurant occupies a major part of the fourth level of Emporium Melbourne, and has been designed by Sydney and Melbourne-based hospitality interior design specialists, Design Clarity. The design concept is centred on the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang: opposite or contrary forces that are actually complementary in the natural world.

Design Clarity Managing Director and Owner Kristina Hetherington explains that a lot of thinking goes into what the target customers may desire or be driven towards when making their decision to dine out. The dumpling specialists’ Melbourne venture called for a layer of sophistication and refinement in the use of materials and space.

The yin-yang concept has been achieved by Design Clarity through the exploration of natural dualities such as light and dark, high and low, hot and cold, fire and water, and life and death. These have been represented in the furniture, material choices and interior architecture, reflecting as complementary yet opposing elements that form a subconscious balanced environment.

The restaurant features Din Tai Fung’s signature glass enclosed dumpling show kitchen but also includes a series of self-contained VIP rooms to cater for the Melbourne CBD diners. The restaurant’s ambience is already drawing comparison with Noma in London or Sushi Samba in New York.

Proprietor Dendy Harjanto said that the Melbourne restaurant was their third fitout by Design Clarity and they’re very happy with the results. Din Tai Fung pride themselves on offering the best restaurant experience within the dumpling market; they’re thrilled their restaurants’ ambience matches the same high quality as their food.