Wayward Winery review: Teddy and Louis Powlett’s new restaurant brings wow factor to Waubra

Wood-fired pizzas, smart snacks and smashable wine — this hidden gem restaurant on Ballarat’s outskirts brings the wow factor.

Kara Monssen

3 min read

October 11, 2022 - 11:00AM

Food

Don't miss out on the headlines from Food. Followed categories will be added to My News.

W. O. W

It’s written in big fat letters across the syrah magnum plonked on our table.

Without context, you could easily have a crack at guessing what it stands for.

Way out west makes sense, given we’re in canola country 45 minutes from Ballarat.

Wines of Waubra or Wayward are other educated guesses.

And if we ditch the acronym, “wow” would do fine, as most things at this new-look winery restaurant are just that.

Wayward Winery is what many may see as the next big thing by Ballarat titans Teddy and Louis Powlett, who have been redefining The Rat’s food scene with their Melbourne-style hospitality since 2017.

They’re behind Moon and Mountain, an up and about local answer to Chin Chin (only better), modern Italian eatery Ragazzone that’s “grab the girls for pinot and pasta” material, a negroni-slamming cocktail bar Renard and soon to open luncher, Earl’s Deli.

Order your own serve of eggplant empanadas. Picture: Lachlan Phyland

But the winery takeover holds some sentiment for the boys.

They grew up in nearby Learmonth and often visited what was then called Quoin Hill Winery with their family, so those warm and fuzzies swayed the decision to go all in pre-Covid.

That PWLT Group DNA is all over this joint: from that “mucking around with mates”’ banter chewed by floor staff to the schmick-looking dining room that’s nailed the laid back, yet polished winery-restaurant brief.

Timber floors and features add a homestead vibe, as does that barrel fireplace and those massive windows gaping over the chardonnay block.

If the chip and dip is good, you know you’re on to a winner. Picture: Lachlan Phyland

There are only 65 seats but those sleek kidney-shaped dark timber tables make for cosy convos while gawking at those rolling green hills where the wind farms whir and cattle stir.

The timber deck out the front also makes a beaut scene for popping some of the estate-grown W. O. W blanc de blancs and sunshine grazing.

Chip and dip is not something I’d routinely order as a critic, but I was itching to try some of that flatbread ($19) after smelling it blistering in the woodfire oven.

Tickled with olive oil and mastering the perfect textural ratios of crisp, chew and char it’s banging, especially for scooping mounds of beetroot and tahini dip blitzed from beets grown on the 50-acre patch.

It gives us a wonderful look at what’s to come with those pizzas; which add some grunt to executive chef Liam Downes’ otherwise graze heavy list.

They aren’t massive, but you’ll soon understand why.

Sizzling pork skewers add some tableside theatrics. Picture: Lachlan Phyland

Cold deli meat mortadella ($24) takes on a new dimension when warmed, crinkling into soft wispy caramelised sheets that add welcome salt against that burrata, punchy pesto and crumbly roast garlic bits. You’ll most likely end here, after gorging on snacks first.

Those empanadas ($20 for three) are flavour hits, stuffed with salted eggplants high on woodfire smoke and folded into a flaky golden puff. Delicious.

As is the light and bright potato terrine ($16) stacking ultrafine layers of Newlyn sourced spuds next to salmon roe-anointed creme fraiche.

Pork skewers ($12) come with theatrical smoke oomph, resting over a deep-set stone bowl of smouldering hay embers. They look the part, but the blend of cheek and neck meat is too gnarly in parts, though nicely lifted by a bright apple gel.

By now I’d expect you’d have a vino in hand – if not, get snapping.

Clarnette Wines’ Leigh Clarnette is the man behind the magic, stocking Wayward’s short and local list with his own Pyrenees-made hits before the new vintage syrah and pinot gris release comes out later this year.

The potato terrine celebrates all things spring. Picture: Lachlan Phyland

That W. O. W sparkling was already made pre-Powlett era and is at once vibrant green apples and buttery toast, thanks to a few years in bottle. It’s a fresh way to kick things off, as is that gluggable Syrah brimming with black juicy plums, served in novel magnums.

Would I change anything about the experience? More floor staff would help with pace when large groups roll through but this is an issuing plaguing most others in the game.

Outside of this, not much.

It’s early days, but the Powletts may be on to another winner. Write it in big, bold letters, Wayward’s wow factor will shine brightly this spring.