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Wild Ginger has a great location for the arts and performances crowd. The 5th Ave Theater, Benaroya Hall, and Triple Door are just a short walk away. The restaurant environment is huge (for... More
Wild Ginger has a great location for the arts and performances crowd. The 5th Ave Theater, Benaroya Hall, and Triple Door are just a short walk away. The restaurant environment is huge (for Seattle): private rooms, two floors, a couple bars, and a large lounge. The lights are dim and the environment has a slight splash of class. Service, unfortunately, has been a gamble and my last waiter was inattentive, unfriendly, and made ?give me? gestures with his hands when asking for our used plates. The food selection has also been a gamble, but most of the time I?ve been satisfied. The Laksa Soup is great and has a Thai curry like flavor. Most of the lamb entrees are tasty. The service says that the plates are meant to be shared, but keep in mind the portions are roughly half the size of what you?d expect at a typical Chinese restaurant. The cocktails have been strong and well mixed. This place is made for large groups. However, if you want to have a special dinner here, make reservations far in advance. This placed gets packed and noisy fast on Friday and Saturday nights.
Pros: Large Group Dining
Cons: Downtown Parking, Inconsistent Service
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I went here a couple weeks ago with some friends and had an absolutely delicious delicious meal! Although Asian Fusion is not my top choice of restaurants, this place did it excellently! Our... More
I went here a couple weeks ago with some friends and had an absolutely delicious delicious meal! Although Asian Fusion is not my top choice of restaurants, this place did it excellently! Our service was also fantastic. We had about 3 servers waiting on us - and although that might seem like too much - they weren't pushy or anything. One of them encouraged us to try the dessert and when we still turned it down, she brought some out for us for free! Her excitement and enthusiasm makes me want to recommend it to everyone!
Pros: great food! great service! great ambience!
Cons: a bit too pricey but still worth it once in awhile
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My first experience at this restaurant made me wish I had bought the same items at the Thai place around the corner for approximately 1/10th the cost at Wild Ginger. A few months later, I was... More
My first experience at this restaurant made me wish I had bought the same items at the Thai place around the corner for approximately 1/10th the cost at Wild Ginger. A few months later, I was invited here again and was able to ascertain that they actually have a handful of yummy items and am wiser about squeezing the true value out of this place.
There is one item that I find truly amazing: Young Mountain Lamb Satay. Forget about proper entrées, stick with a few orders of this! A couple of ginger martinis and some skewers of this heavenly lamb make a delectable mix. If you're feeling extravagant, I'd highly suggest the duck entrée that comes with fluffy buns.
Bottom line -- The majority of this restaurant is hype, so go into the experience with low expectations and try out the items I mentioned above. Even better yet, pop down to the lounge in their basement and enjoy the satay and martinis with better atmosphere!
Helpful hint: If you feel like replicating the lamb satay yourself, you'll find the recipe on the Wild Ginger web site!
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Yes I make a 6-digit salary and yes I spend relatively freely. However there is a point where a meal that costs several hundred dollars for friends and family should be considered exceptional.
I... More
Yes I make a 6-digit salary and yes I spend relatively freely. However there is a point where a meal that costs several hundred dollars for friends and family should be considered exceptional.
I think the price exceeds the exceptional rating while the food and atmosphere merely meets it.
I heard that this restaurant was one of the best in the US and definitely one of the best in Seattle.
I agree.
But is it worth the excessive pricing?
I am still out on that one. I didn't feel I was ripped off, just let down. I have eaten at some of the world's finest restaurants and the overall experience for most is worth every penny. This one just seemed to miss the mark. I don't know if I would add something to the atmosphere or merely lower the price to put the experience on par. I would probably own my own restaurant if I knew the perfect mix.
Try Wild Ginger yourself, but expect to roll through some serious green. Maybe it will be perfect for you and worth the experience, but maybe you can figure out what is missing from making it a GREAT dining encounter versus merely a good one with great food.
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While Wild Ginger isn't exactly tops for cutting edge food, I'm pleased by the fact that they serve different asian cuisines under one roof. I'm not one to complain about portions as I usually order... More
While Wild Ginger isn't exactly tops for cutting edge food, I'm pleased by the fact that they serve different asian cuisines under one roof. I'm not one to complain about portions as I usually order several courses when I dine, but yes the portions are small compared to your average mom and pop asian restaurant. However, Wild Ginger is, thankfully, not a seedy mom and pop restaurant. I always order the beef or shrimp (or both) satay to start. The duck and 7 flavor beef have never failed me. The monk curry is ehhhh...but I love the curry squid. The place does get busy- like all good restaurants and service can be painful at times but for the most part the servers have always been as attentive as they can.
Pros: never had issues with food
Cons: can get busy, hate downtown parking, someties servers
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If you like P.F. Chang?s over priced Asian food you should go here. I went to Wild Ginger for the 25 for $25 last night. We made our reservation well advanced for 7:30 pm and I didn?t get seated... More
If you like P.F. Chang?s over priced Asian food you should go here. I went to Wild Ginger for the 25 for $25 last night. We made our reservation well advanced for 7:30 pm and I didn?t get seated until 8:00pm. We didn?t get to place our order until 8:30pm. My friend and I happen to both order the same dish. When the food finally came almost an hour later we only had 2 entries on our table. We asked our waiter that we were missing an entry he told us the kitchen have combined our dishes together. I have never been to a restaurant that would combine people?s dishes. I wasn?t going to question it since is a really busy night but our combined entry was so small that it makes me wonder how big the real size dish was. I know this is a fusion restaurant, but just because you put ginger and coconuts in every dish doesn?t mean it would make it Asian. The Green Bean salad tested just like the green bean casserole for Thanksgiving dinner just with out the French fried onions. The services is horrible and the food is even worse!
Cons: The services is horrible and the food is even worse!
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The Wild Ginger is one of the few places that I am confident in taking out of town clients. There is always something on the menu that appeals to even the most finicky eaters, the space is... More
The Wild Ginger is one of the few places that I am confident in taking out of town clients. There is always something on the menu that appeals to even the most finicky eaters, the space is beautiful, and since it's a large restaurant I can typically get a reservation without too much of a headache. The service is professional and the food is always consistent.
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People give Wild Ginger a bad rap (e.g., the portions are too small, the wait is too long, waiters are snooty). I beg to differ. My first visit, several years ago, was to their old location... More
People give Wild Ginger a bad rap (e.g., the portions are too small, the wait is too long, waiters are snooty). I beg to differ. My first visit, several years ago, was to their old location below Pike Place. When I moved back to Seattle recently, I was I was thrilled to find them in a new location, but was skeptical about whether they were still capable of living up to their old reputation. Would their efforts to increase supply to meet the demands garnered by their popularity compromise Wild Ginger's original vision? I am pleased to say no. I?ve been in for dinner at least six times since then, and have found it to be every bit as wonderful as it ever was. The food is still fantastic--those who complain about a lack of "value" should realize that the mark of a truly dedicated restaurant is a commitment to quality, not quantity. Dining at Wild Ginger is more about diversifying one's palate and discovering new flavors than stuffing your face. If you make a reservation, ask for one of Tyler or Delray's tables--they provide fabulous menu guidance if you're looking for the optimal experience for your taste buds. Jennifer, the wine captain, unpretentiously offers wonderful pairing suggestions. To those who eschew the long wait--regardless of whether you have a reservation--look around you! I usually come in on Thursdays or Fridays, and it's always packed, which is to be expected. True, it can be intimidating at first, but ask for Elisa at the front--she is always more than happy to find a way to accommodate you (reservation or not) according to the nature of the occasion (whether it be quick, romantic, fun, business-like, etc.) and gives great recommendations for after-dinner destinations. If you're looking for standard fare, a mundane atmosphere, and mediocre service, be sure to avoid Wild Ginger at all costs. But for an unparalleled dining experience in an environment that is rich with local culture and worldly flavors, this place is a must.
Pros: food, service
Cons: bar can be crowded, can be loud
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I was weary to order the crab cake appetizer which was $22 for 4. I asked the server to describe the crab cakes, and she said, "The crab cakes are fillled with all crab and no cake. They are made... More
I was weary to order the crab cake appetizer which was $22 for 4. I asked the server to describe the crab cakes, and she said, "The crab cakes are fillled with all crab and no cake. They are made with fresh crab right out of our own tank." After this description, I ordered them. I was excited, imagining a plate of four wonderful heaps of crab with delicious seasonings. When they arrived to the table, I could not believe my eyes. There were four teeny tiny fried cakes-VERY LITTLE CRAB, mostly all cake. It's been a while since I felt this ripped off.
The other meals we ordered were quite tasty, but still overpriced. My warning here, is whatever you do, do not order the crab cakes!!
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I love Wild Ginger but I don't know, everytime I go it's a different story. I went last night with my boyfriend and had the duck and thai noodles. The duck was great, the noodles were bland. Our... More
I love Wild Ginger but I don't know, everytime I go it's a different story. I went last night with my boyfriend and had the duck and thai noodles. The duck was great, the noodles were bland. Our waiter came only twice, to order our drink and our food. Totally bad service that night, and it wasn't pretty busy. BUT, I did go last week with a bunch of my girlfriends, and service was extremely great . Yeah totally confused. Oh yeah, don't forget to make reservations, you will definately wait much longer to get a table.
Cons: parking
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