17/20
Contemporary
Country Wine List of the Year Pilgrims travel the highway to the door of chef Dan Hunter's Dunkeld dining room with a zeal rarely reserved for country pub meals. But then the Royal Mail Hotel is no ordinary rural rub-a-dub- dub, being named Country Restaurant of the Year in last year's Guide. Has such a lofty standard been maintained? Absolutely. The most significant change is that the 10-course degustation is now the only option for dinner. Too much? Surprisingly, no; it's about savouring exquisitely composed tastes that are as tantalising on the palate as on the plate. Start with three perfectly measured sardine pieces sitting in an intensely flavoured smoked-tuna broth, followed by a gorgeous salad of petite edible flowers – maybe borage and nasturtium – with baby greens and tiny vegetables. Later, a juicy piece of poached kingfish is offset by a delicate saffron-infused sauce. At the chef's disposal are the restaurant's gardens, from where a sweet apple might be plucked, cooked with chamomile and flavoured with caramel. There are always interesting wines by the glass to match the menu. It all adds up to something very special.
Open Tues–Sat 6.30pm–late
Typical prices Degustation menu $150; vegetarian menu $110
Cards AE MC V Eftpos
Wine A staggering, showy list of 2000-plus fine wines dominated by burgundy, bordeaux and single-estate labels with back vintages
Owner Dunkeld Pastoral Company
Chef Dan Hunter
Seats 40; bar 
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