The Royal Mail Hotel

Posted by: soupnazi | 24 October 2010, 7.01pm

I have to say I was a little disappointed by this experience. This may have been partly because 10 course degustation was our only option and I possibly would prefer to choose from the menu however it did present an opportunity to try a variety of dishes we may not normally have ordered. The presentation of every plate was stunning - they were each like little works of art on the plate. This would have to be the most impressive part of the experience. We went with the Omnivore menu and I have to say I would have preferred to see some more red meat in the line up. By course 6 I still hadn't seen any and despite the great white wines we were served (2007 Dalwhinnie Chardonnay was sensational) to match the courses I was also getting pretty keen for a glass of red. Having said this as it turned out my favourite dish was a warm egg yolk with lentils - a really clever dish. Maybe it is just me but after 4 hours I was exhausted with sitting and eating and couldn't wait for it to be over. A very strange and new experience for one who loves food such as I. I never thought I could say I was sick of eating - but I was. This may have been the time factor involved in a 10 course meal. I have mixed feelings because while all the dishes looked sensational, apart from the egg dish mentioned and possibly the jerusalem artichoke that was like a backed spud (with a bit of their house made smoked butter on top) there was not a lot that knocked my socks off. The wine list was too big for us to even tackle (80 pages) so we went with the matched wines. We had some very nice wines with the locals winning out for us. The Chardonnay already mentioned and the Best's Pinot Meunier were our favourites. I recommend trying this for the experience - very clever food if not a little too clever in places and I think my words at the time were "a little self indulgence from the chef". Atmosphere was not all that great - is hard to explain why it was just missing something. Maybe it was the bright lighting or that the fine dining and the bistro mingled in to one. Overall it was a good experience that I have been meaning to do for a long time - I am glad we tried it.

Food:			Visit: Sat 23 October 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: heeftmeermmm | 16 February 2009, 10.16am

My partner and I went in to have the 10-course degustation menu, which was unbelievable. The combination of flavours, textures, and the freshness of the ingredients was mindblowing, and the presentation was immaculate. The best meal I have eaten, coupled with warm and knowledgeable service from our waiter. Excellent.

Food:			Visit: Wed 11 February 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: easy2please | 8 August 2008, 4.13pm

The highlight of a recent weekend at RMH was the 3.5 hr hike round to the homestead and Mt Sturgeon. The 5 course degustation dinner was a real disappointment and included dishes we could have made at home; the extra $80 pp for matching wines featuring some locals which we'd describe at best as 'quaffing' material.

Food:			Visit: Fri 8 August 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Jules5234 | 5 June 2008, 8.52pm

I've stayed at the Royal Mail Hotel on three different occassions now and have dined in the restaurant, cafe and bar on numerous occasions. The food, staff and overall experience have always been a delight and, unlike "nikski" I can confirm wholehartedly that there have been huge improvements since they took her favourite entree off the menu! Go there. It's some of the best food in the country - and the prices are very reasonable.

Food:			Visit: Thu 5 June 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: nikski | 13 March 2008, 9.54am

Being a local in the area my friends and I relied on going to Royal Mail for a cheap good meal with great service. The last time we went we found they had put the prices up, taken our favourite entree (saganaki) off the menu and the meal did not arrive for over 40 minutes. Such a shame as it is always good to have a trusty local.

Food:			Visit: Wed 12 March 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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