
Wagyu in dessert? You have our attention.
La Madonna has launched a limited edition Westholme Wagyu degustation at Next Hotel Melbourne.
The French-influenced Italian restaurant, set on level three of Next Hotel Melbourne in the city’s Paris end, is dedicating five courses to one of Australia’s most celebrated beef producers.
An Ode to Westholme Wagyu sees Michelin-trained Executive Chef Jacopo Degli Esposti build the menu around different cuts, textures and techniques, moving from lighter, more technical dishes through to richer, more savoury plates.
Westholme Wagyu is raised across the rangelands of Queensland and the Northern Territory, where Japanese genetics meet Australian pasture. The herd roams across millions of acres of native Mitchell grass before being grain-finished, producing beef known for its marbling, richness and depth of flavour, with marble scores ranging from MBS 4 to 5 up to 9+.
At La Madonna, that translates into a menu that moves well beyond the usual steakhouse treatment.
The menu includes Westholme Wagyu tongue with jus à manger, MB5 hanger steak carpaccio with bone marrow and classic dressing, and tortellini of Westholme tenderloin in a double Wagyu consommé.
For the main course, La Madonna is serving Westholme MB6 cube roll, 45-day butter dry-aged, pan-fried in butter and finished with Wagyu jus.
Degli Esposti has also worked with sous chef and pastry specialist Adrianna Kolda to take Wagyu into dessert, with a Wagyu tallow crème brûlée.
La Madonna’s setting offers diners a bit more theatre too. The restaurant pairs refined technique with quality produce across its regular menu, which includes dishes like scampi cappelletti, lobster risotto and caviar spaghetti, with a 150-plus bottle wine list to suit every mood.
Inside, the room is moody and polished, with curved banquettes, warm lighting and a gold chain chandelier giving the five-course Wagyu menu a suitably ‘grown-up’ backdrop.
An Ode to Westholme Wagyu is available Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 pm until October 31, 2026. The menu is $220 per person, with an optional wine pairing available for $110 per person.
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