Ah ... Wild Ginger: one of my all-time favorite restaurants anywhere. I'm not alone in that, either, as I'm sure you can tell from the many recommendations on Epinions.
What makes Wild Ginger so special? So many things, really, but first and foremost has to be their unique selection of menu offerings that cover Asia from north to south. Personally, I don't think a trip to Wild Ginger could be complete without a shared platter of Fragrant Duck. Oh, my word, there needs to be a 12-step program to recover from the addiction to this dish. These Long Island ducks are prepared over two days, or so I hear, and are served neatly sliced with steamed hum bow buns and a plum sauce you'll savor from the moment you first taste it. The szechuan peppercorns alongside the plum sauce add just the right amount of contrasting taste to make this juicy duck dish worth the usual problems getting a reservation at this hoppin' place on a Friday night (although, I've found the duck to be a bit drier on Fridays interestingly enough).
Another "must-have" with the duck: szechuan green beans. Green beans? What could be so special about green beans? Oh, my friend, you have not had Wild Ginger's green beans. And once you do, those canned Blue Lake green beans will never, ever do! Although they aren't always on the menu, ask for them and you still may be able to get a plate of them.
The service at Wild Ginger is gracious, never pushy, never overly attentive. All that goes a long way towards a pleasant evening meal, I think. Add to that, an atmosphere that is in muted earth tones and black, lofty, and not overly Asian or Pacific Northwestern, either. I will say, though, that Wild Ginger's former haunts were much more to my liking ... much more cozy and you felt like you found a treasure ... an exclusive restaurant. Their new restaurant is so big and somewhat noisy that it almost feels like a good portion of the city is eating there with you at the same time. Pleasantly, though, the kitchen seems to have been able to maintain quality even though they are obviously serving more diners at once now.
Seattle is full of some absolutely terrific restaurants. Wild Ginger is one that definitely should not be missed.
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