My wife and I chose to celebrate our version of New Year's Eve one night early by booking a late reservation at Wild Ginger. This was our second visit to this restaurant since we moved to the Richmond area three years ago. The only disappointment...of the evening was when the hostess was focused on a phone and was not attentive to our arrival. However, after making our presence known we were seated promptly at our reserved table.
Our server, Cassidy, arrived soon to introduce herself and take drink orders. She allowed us plenty of time to look at the list of unique cocktails, wine and beer and returned with water. When asked, she also provided observations and comments from other diners and some personal recommendations. We started with the Irreplaceable which is the restaurants classic Old Fashioned served with a lovely chunk of candied ginger.
We informed Cassidy that we wished to have a long slow meal, and started with the Thai Shrimp Wraps for our first starter to take the edge off. After this we ordered two maki, the Anna and Two88 rolls. Both of these rolls are decadent with tempura shrimp as the inside base with a variety of fillings, toppings and sauces. Both are highly recommended.
After a considerable and desired break, we ordered our entrees. My wife chose the Singapore noodles with chicken which had wonderfully light and fresh flavors. I chose Malay lamb chops which were served with asparagus, fried rice, and creamy curry sauce. The seasoning on the lamb was perfect allowing the natural flavor to shine, but the sauce was a nice touch for an occasional bite and made a great addition to the fried rice as well.
Along the way we ordered a couple of more drinks with my wife choosing the Chocolate Manhattan. This was served martini style and included a choice of bourbon or rye with chocolate bitters and chocolate covered cherry. Although we expected this cocktail to be dessert-like, it was crisp and fresh. Although it arrived after I finished my lamb, I thought it would have been a great choice with red meat. Speaking of which, I chose to move to wine with my lamb and chose the Scouts Honor Red Blend after tasting a couple of options. It was full-bodied, but not too bold, and had lovely cherry notes.
We finished our beverages over a shared dessert of oreo cheesecake. This was the furthest thing imaginable from the typical "thaw and serve" cheesecake served by chain restaurants. It had very rich chocolate ganache on the top, with a cheesecake filling that was equally reminiscent of the cookie and cream-filling associated with Oreo, over a delicious chocolate cookie crust.
Cassidy was delightful throughout, providing personal recommendations and guest comments throughout our dining adventure. We enjoyed every one of our food and beverage items, and will definitely be back.More