13 Jul 2012
Crown's new destination, The West End is now open. The West End encompasses two new restaurants - The Merrywell and Cotta, two new bars - Lumia and The Common Room, premium and casual gaming, live entertainment and sports streaming from around the globe.
The new one-stop entertainment precinct is positioned to be the first choice for after-work drinks, a new option for a memorable dining experience without the white table cloths, and the place to be before, after and during all major local and international sporting events.
The West End precinct was a two-year, over $90 million AUD project that has enhanced 15,000 square metres of the Clarendon Street end of the Crown Entertainment Complex.
On Trend Tables
The Merrywell opened in late-April to rave reviews and is quickly earning a reputation as one of the hottest places to be at Crown. Its two international chefs, Grant MacPherson and Sam DeMarco aren't your average partnership; these two hands-on culinary masterminds have intertwined their knowledge and experience of American and Tex-Mex cuisine and refined it for Australia's discerning palate.
High quality pub-sized meals with a twist feature on the menu alongside plenty of shared plates options. The venue is two-floors of hipster-print walls, retro-inspired lounge areas, a 7000-strong beer bottle wall art installation which projects moving images as well as front-row balcony seats to witness Crown's famous fireballs. The terrace's powerful heaters ensure guests won't feel Melbourne's winter.
Feeling Peckish?
Cotta, derived from the word terracotta, is Crown's new 150-seat café open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Put simply, the menu at Cotta features dishes with clean, fresh flavours and healthy ingredients.
The menu boasts a range of breakfast options, salads, seafood and meat dishes to suit all taste buds, as well as an extensive dessert menu for those with a sweet tooth.
Menu options include a salad of heirloom tomatoes, grilled dill cucumber and crisp brioche with a la Greque dressing for $13.50, grilled asparagus, poached egg, shaved Parmesan with focaccia croutons and olive oil for $13.50 and main course options of char-grilled king prawns with butter lettuce and watermelon dressing for $21.90 and grilled blue eye fillet with braised fregola, fennel and orange salad and caperberries for $18.90 to name a few.
Take Me To The Action
Transparent screen walls, live bands and DJs, a 5.8 metre projection screen and oversized LCD TV screens dedicated to showing all major domestic and international live sporting events are distinctive features of The Common Room. The bar appears to be set alight with a side-by-side bottle feature, making the bar architecturally striking as well as practical.
The Liquid Kitchen
Lumia cocktail bar is located in the centre of The West End. Guests are encouraged to experience Lumia's expansive bar, the adjacent Cotta, The Common Room and Lumia's own terrace. There's an eye-catching 30-metre-long artwork on the ceiling backlit with LED lighting as well as a ground-breaking cocktail list that will tempt even the most wary. Live Cuban and Latin music will differentiate Lumia and set it apart from its surrounds.
Lumia's lengthy cocktail list features the best cocktail methods from the past. For instance, some of Lumia's cocktails adopt a traditional 'shrub' method that was popular more than two centuries ago. The shrub practice was devised in the late 18th century as a technique to preserve summer berries and fruits. By mixing the berries in sugar and vinegar, they are reduced down to a dense, sweet liquid that both conserves and enhances the fruits' flavours.
Upon entering the awe-inspiring back room of Lumia, guests will delight in the bar's design, décor and be drawn to Lumia's inviting plush furniture and a sprinkling of premium gaming, not to mention the jaw-dropping 30-metre-long Swarovski crystal mesh beaded chandelier which sparkles through the day and night with the help of LED lighting. Created by an international design team from the Czech Republic, this art installation is worth $250,000.00 AUD.
Once through this room, guests can walk out onto the large terrace area which overlooks the Yarra River with its very own bar.
For the tech-savvy - If it didn't happen online, did it really happen?
The West End is a Wi-Fi hot-spot making social media easily accessible to visitors. Guests can 'check in' to The West End via Facebook or by using The West End App.
Diners can also peruse an interactive digital menu at The Merrywell.
Social Media destinations include:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/themerrywell
http://www.facebook.com/#!/westendatcrown
@westendatcrown #westendatcrown
@themerrywell #themerrywell #goodtimesontap
The West End iphone and Android app is a first for Crown Melbourne. The app will offer a range of incentives and offers for Crown's West End guests and will help visitors plan their night by providing them with all the information needed to make the most out of the West End.
Features include:
- Rewards for checking in. For example, complimentary cocktail offers at Lumia
- Allows guests to share their journey through The West End on their personal social network
- Access to 'What's On' information so guests don't miss out on their favourite events
Where is The West End?
The new development is located on the corner of Clarendon Street entrance and Crown's Riverwalk.
For more information, please visit thewestendatcrown.com.au or crownmelbourne.com/thewestend
Crown is committed to providing responsible gaming services by making available education, information, assistance and resources concerning responsible gaming matters.
Crown practises responsible service of alcohol.
For more information or high resolution images, please contact:
Melissa Pinder
Media Relations Senior Coordinator
Crown Melbourne
T. + 61 3 9292 8610
M. + 61 401 182 281
E. melissap@crownmelbourne.com.au
Tara Bishop
Media Relations Manager
Crown Melbourne
T. +61 3 9292 8673
M. +61 422 003 549
