Woodland House is a quiet champion of finer Melbourne dining. The service is witty and warm, and its two chefs have made a restaurant they took over from their mentor, Jacques Reymond, their own. The grey-walled dining rooms of the Victorian mansion are cosseting and contemporary. Shelves heave with decanters for a wine list deep in vintages and local treasures. Expect refined food, and an exemplary tasting menu (for vegetarians, too). Poached Murray cod and spanner crab come dressed with smoky soured cream. Tender grilled octopus accompanies a tranche of corn-fed duck, its skin a crackly veneer. Cape Grim short-rib paired with butter-burnished witlof and crowned with fried ginger surrenders at the touch of a fork. For dessert, vanilla and chestnut parfait sandwiched with sesame wafer leaves little room for excellent petits fours, on the House.
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
