Pub Of The Week: Springs Hotel, Waubra
2073 Sunraysia Highway, Waubra
Ph: 0480 465 840/0411 236 662
When?: 5 April 2024
Summary:
What a delightful surprise, and treat to visit the Springs Hotel, Waubra. a small town on the main drag to Avoca some 140 kms from Melbourne, where its landscape is positively dominated by wind generators.
Small backstory required at the Springs. Like so many small towns struggling to support a pub, this beautiful old building had been closed for some time, but with some clever owners already in the game, (CourtHouse, Smythesdale), along with some local shareholders, together they got the Springs up and going to facilitate a genuine community asset.
And the finished article is well worthy of praise.
Brilliant white brick exterior, reminiscent of an old retired bank, The Springs has a cosy, small front bar with local and commercial beers on tap, through to a long rectangular dining room. Fireplaces strategically in the middle with kitchen partially exposed, to a large beer garden suitable for any occasion.
A feature of the pub is “The Long Room”, a discreet-ish room for a private gathering where the walls are adorned by local historical tidbits and a collection of books from wine legend, James Halliday.
Pokies: No.
TAB: No.
Overwhelmingly all food is done in house and has a touch of dash: the wine list supports many local offerings. Good table service is another bonus and it is so easy to settle in.
This is a pub you want to succeed given its resurrection from the metaphorical ashes.
As previously stated, the menu still had some interesting selections, including trout mousse with turkish bread (nearby Lake Learmonth is known for stocks of trout) @$18, or as a main venison with garlic roasted kipfler potato, a roquette, and parmesan salad & game sauce 39.
Tried was;
- Lamb kofta, served with minted greek yoghurt at $17. Simple dish, but great flavours, easy eating,
- Chicken and veg pie, mash, greens, $24. Proper encased pie, plenty of chicken, very good mash potato and vegetables all at a very fair price.
- 300g Porterhouse, chips, salad, sauce, $41 was a decent slab of steak, just let down by room temperature meat and chips on arrival. Maybe too long at the pass, as a couple of minutes earlier sees this dish arrive at its optimum.
The wine list is small but a beauty. Locals include Tram Car, Windermere, Fallen Giants, Grampians, and an excellent red, Latta ‘Wild West’ Red ($15pg), sourced from Coghills Creek.
Well done to the community at Waubra for supporting this; It is hoped the Springs Hotel can continue to trade seamlessly and thrive.
SCORE: 14.3