Davidson Restaurant — Restaurant in Victoria

note this is a training restaurant for students doing their cert 4s

Had high expectations before coming and although we were fully aware of the setting (training facility attached to the Gordon), I cannot in good conscience give them anything higher than a 2.

Came on a Tuesday night, only 1 waitress at the front of the house and a couple of chefs. To her credit she was smiling and lovely in mannerism; however she struggled to explain the menu or make the drinks and she was completely on her own. Note one table left because they were not even being served and she was talking to a different table about things not related to ordering for a good few minutes.

When the food came (chef’s selection), they were vastly different to what was expected from photos uploaded by others, the bread was rock solid, and I mean SOLID! There was 3-4 dishes all with the same salad despite having different descriptors on the menu. Not an issue if we were informed but I felt that we weren’t kept in the loop. The food were of acceptable standards for the most part but could have used more seasoning.

The beet risotto and kangaroo was the highlight, and to the chef’s credit, most individual ingredients tasted okay just the combo was peculiar in some dishes. The salad (as forementioned) were bland and repetitive and honestly would’ve been better off without it.

Lastly when we went to pay, she offered us a receipt before paying and asked us to see if it was all correct - unfortunately a receipt that just says (custom amount) with no numbers, dishes, cost or quantity is not exactly easy to confirm. She did try to justify this which I felt would’ve just been easier said “my bad, here’s the real copy”.

Is it worthy of 4.8? Absolutely not. Maybe they had a bad night and was miserably understaffed, but what we had was barely worthy of a couple of stars. Would we give them a chance again? Maybe. I hope we had an off night and would love to support the training staff, but I can’t fathom of coming back here without them receiving more support at least. You can’t expect them to fly if you don’t teach them how to open their wings! At least have some 1v1 supervision.

Perhaps I’m being overly harsh on the young trainees, but I felt that an honest review of this place is deserved so people can make an informed decision - I am all for supporting the staff still and they offer a very competitive price for the quality of...

My partner and I had a date night here last night. The Davidson is the jewel of Geelong and everyone should be going there!

We were the only ones there much to our surprise. Set in an exquisite hall full of history, tastefully decorated bring the old and new together. With ornate high wooden ceilings, modern light installations and a charming fireplace, that's just the start of this dining experience.

The service was warm and attentive. I would only recommend that the waiters continue to work on their knowledge of the menu and ingredients.

Now lets talk about the food! Plate after plate, the sizing was generous and creative presentation that was almost too beautiful to eat. The ingredients were fresh, expertly cooked and thoughtful inclusions of native ingredients was wonderful to see. The taste and texture combination of each plate was an absolute delight. And the sauces so good that wished you had bread to mop them up.

The price was incredible and the best value fine dining experience we've seen in ages. They could definitely charge more for the quality of the experience.

We both left with bellies and hearts full. If you haven't gone there yet, get to it! If you've had the privilege, you need to go back. I know we will be. Bravo Team Davidson! You've created a space for your...

On the recommendation of a friend, my wife and I visited The Davidson recently, for dinner, to celebrate our 55th Wedding Anniversary. We both enjoyed a three course meal, that was beautifully presented and expertly served. We had the shiitake risotto and venison for entrées, the slow-cooked lamb neck and barramundi for mains and the chocolate beetroot brownie and panna cotta for sweets. All of the food was delicious. We enjoyed a Margaret River cabernet sauvignon and a delicious Murray Darling prosecco and the staff were kind enough to offer us celebratory drinks for our Anniversary. I was a student at The Gordon from 1959-1962 and in those days Davidson Hall was a space used for assemblies, enrolments and events such as the annual Gordon Gaieties. It is a pleasant space with a high ceiling that has been transformed into a functional and comfortable restaurant setting. The activities in the large kitchen can be observed through the glass wall at one end of the room. I highly recommend the food, the service and the...