Chad Michael George, Kade Gianinetti and Jared Schwartz, partners in The Way Back and American Grind, are unveiling their new project this week: Wayward. The restaurant and bar is set at 1610 Little Raven Street in a space that housed Zengo until the restaurant closed in May after 14 years.
Led by Patrick Kelly, who moved to Colorado from California last year and briefly served as executive chef at Panzano, Wayward describes itself as “responsibly sourced restaurant, focusing on regional cuisine, located in the Riverfront Park neighborhood.” The opening menu, inspired by harvest ingredients, brings dishes like charred and smoked eggplant, squash and cucumber salad, and agnolotti with braised lamb and sweet corn. Four sections — bites, small plates, pasta and grains, and large plates — give guests a clue about potion sizes. The dessert menu follows the seasonal and local tone of the savory one and features treats like the Fruition Farms ricotta, incorporated in a cheesecake, and stone fruits, now complementing a panna cotta.
And because food goes great with cocktails, bar wizz Alex Flower, formerly of Acorn, is mixing up summer flavors in drinks like Where’s the Beach (Appleton Rum, apricot puree and lemon juice) and Proper Pick-Me-Up (Leopold’s gin, pineapple, and Fever Tree Bitter Lemon soda). There are non-alcoholic cocktails, plus a beer and wine selection.
Starting on Tuesday, August 22, dinner is served the main dining room and outdoor patio. Weekend brunch service will be added soon.