Healesville Hotel

If only every Victorian town had an eponymous boozer-diner as impressive as Healesville’s local. The elegantly time-worn dining room, with its soaring pressed-tin ceiling and scuffed floorboards, is the perfect setting for reclining in a comfy wicker chair and contemplating the good life with the help of a local wine. From Friday night through Sunday lunch this room becomes the pub’s fine diner, Quince Dining – and very fine it is. Place is key to everything here: fresh pickings from the kitchen garden star atop sumptuously poached veal fillet married with ripe figs and golden croquettes with a burst of tuna aioli inside; a firm john dory fillet might be complemented by charry king prawns and curly slivers of red and white radish; a pink roast duck breast and confit leg are paired with toasted farro and pickled plums. Even dessert might be plucked from out the back; perhaps fresh figs with a decadent brick of dulce de leche and mascarpone mousse. The mostly young waitstaff are eager to please. Here’s to keeping it local.

And … Although fine dining is restricted to Friday nights and weekends, there are good, more casual eats at lunch and dinner every day.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Refined, yet relaxed.
Best bit Regionally focused food.
Worst bit Eh? Speak up?