Answer me this: Whatever happened to the art of the Sunday lunch?
Now before you exclaim that Sunday lunch in Melbourne is alive and kicking, let me explain. I'm not referring to your standard gathering of relos around the dining table or meeting with mates at the pub for a roast; I'm talking about the whole Sunday lunch 'experience' – putting on your Sunday best before visiting a great restaurant for that winning combo of delicious food and wine that, let's face it, is so much better than what you can prepare at home.
You know what type of experience I'm talking about right? Yeah, you do. Good news is the traditional Sunday lunch outing is coming back with a vengeance, with plenty of Melbourne's best restaurants upping their game.
Woodland House in Prahran is one such establishment, with a Sunday lunch offering that stands out amongst the pack. While they're known for their impeccable fine dining dinners and events, Woodland House's Chef's Selection Sunday lunch is just as noteworthy, and a great way to introduce yourself to their unique, locally sourced cuisine. Striking the perfect balance between formal sophistication and casual Sunday relaxation, the Chef's Selection is, in our opinion, one of the best Sunday lunches in town.
As with Woodland House's dinner menu options, diners can choose the number of courses – you can either partake in four courses for $80, or six for $110. From there, the courses are left up to Woodland House chefs Thomas Woods and Hayden McFarland, and change each week depending on what's fresh, in season, and available locally. According to Woods, "We write the menus on Friday afternoon after we've spoken to our suppliers – from there we know exactly what new and exciting produce we can use."
And what courses they are! Previous Chef's Selection dishes have included poached veal fillet with parsnip barigoule and sea urchin, and oh-so-tender monkfish with garlic tempering and buddha's hand. Dessert hasn't been forgotten either, with devilishly rich Valrhona chocolate pave with hazelnuts and butterscotch and THE perfect cheese platter rounding out Sunday lunch at Woodland House.
A bottle of Victoria's finest wine should probably (definitely) accompany your long lunch, and if you choose to partake in a glass or two, you'll be spoilt for choice at Woodland House. Their extensive wine list includes plenty of local drops, along with some notable overseas wines, with diners being able to order by the glass or bottle. Wine matching is also available on request. Our advice? Just do it.
Image Credit: Ryan Noreiks for The Urban List
TUL Note: Today's List Love post is proudly sponsored by Woodland House and endorsed by The Urban List. Our sponsored posts will never be a secret. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make The Urban List possible.