New plan for iconic Dracula’s restaurant in Carlton

It’s a Melbourne icon that closed after 37 years — but a quirky new plan is set to breathe life back into the $10 million Carlton landmark theatre restaurant.

It won’t be as spooky but Melbourne’s landmark Dracula’s theatre restaurant site will remain kooky when it reopens next month as an opera-themed Chinese hot pot eatery.

The well-known Dracula’s restaurant building on Victoria Street Carlton - which sold for more than $10 million - will be reborn as Panda Hot Pot, offering spicy Sichuan cuisine for up to 300 diners.

The former Dracula's building at 100 Victoria St in Carlton will now be home to a themed Chinese hot pot restaurant.

Inside the theatre space after Dracula’s closed down.

Theatre will still accompany the feast, with opera, jazz, dance, cultural performances and acrobatics and children’s panda shows all on the menu.

Owner Yi Li said the dedicated hot pot restaurant would be the biggest of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.

He said as well as promising to be popular with Melbourne’s Chinese community, he was confident other Melburnians would also embrace the concept and enjoy the mouth-numbing heat and conviviality of hot pot.

The new plan will see opera shows and hot pot replace spooky cabaret. Picture: David Caird

Entertainment when the site was Dracula's theatre restaurant.

The concept involves groups of people getting together and ordering one or two signature soups, and then dipping meats, seafood and vegetables in a bubbling hot pot in the centre of the table.

He said the signature Sichuan spicy soup would be simmered for more than 12 hours with a secret blend of spices imported from Sichuan.

The hot pot could also be split in half, with a non-spicy tomato or mushroom based broth, for those who don’t like it quite so hot, Mr Li said.

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“Panda Hot Pot is designed for people who love life, unique experiences, and sharing great food with friends and family. The definition of happiness,” he said.

“I am a true lover of authentic Sichuan hot pot, being born in Sichuan, China. At Panda Hot Pot, we won’t just have amazing food, we will have integrated visuals and theatrical experiences to transport you to ancient China.”

The Dracula’s site, which inspired a bidding frenzy when it was sold, had been an iconic Melbourne dining and entertainment destination for nearly four decades, Mr Li said.

“We would like to keep the spirit alive and keep serving customers with this unique dining and entertainment destination for decades to come,” he said.