Healesville Hotel

A quiet revolution has taken place at the Healesville. The dining room's wicker chairs, crisp linen and darkwood trim remain, but a polished new team has added zing. During the week the menu (shared with the front bar) goes from Euro classics (beef bourguignon) to the Middle East (lamb kofte). At weekends, however, it's the most elegant regional dining around. Dishes delivered by gracious waitstaff (another improvement) encompass not only just-plucked produce, they display the kitchen's quiet flair. Rabbit loin curls over black pudding; so-soft salmon floats on green pea puree. And you can go to the hotel's own next-door butcher to thank him for the 45-day dry-aged sirloin, and Yeringberg lamb that's wonderfully matched with warm eggplant salad and smoked ricotta. Kennedy & Wilson chocolate mousse with cumquat marmalade ice-cream provides good reason to go the three-course option, even if generous serves 'stretch' the experience.