Wild Ginger: A Trip around Southeast Asia
Dining out requires a certain science where variables for cuisine, price range, and location preferences need to be determined to arrive at the next restaurant you’ll dine in. As someone regularly tasked with this responsibility, sometimes this task becomes easier with restaurants such as Wild Ginger, which feature a menu boasting of a variety of cuisines such as Indian, Malay, Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, Indonesian, and Singaporean that aim to please the varying cravings of the people you're eating with.
FILIPINO
CRISPY TAWILIS (P185)
Ditch the prawn cracklings and opt for something local such as the Crispy Tawilis as a starter. Each piece promises to be perfectly crisp, and greaseless. Dip them into the spiced vinegar for that wonderful contrast in flavor that makes it addicting!
SINGAPOREAN/MALAYSIAN
The Roti Prata with Curry Dipping Sauce (P175) came with a generous platter of toasted slices of warm roti paired with a slightly sweet curry sauce. Fuss-free, simple, and affordable, this appetizer commits to happily fill up a hungry group of diners.
Skip the Hainanese Rice (P70) as it’s bland in flavor!
VIETNAMESE
VIETNAMESE FRESH SPRING ROLLS (P175)
I love the refreshment brought about by the Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls; however, Wild Ginger seemed to have gone overboard with their use of jicamas or singkamas; as the rolls became too sweet for my liking. This is especially because the sauces to be paired with these rolls (a peanut dip and a sweet and sour dipping sauce) already contain their own degree of sweetness.
THAI
THAI POMELO SALAD (P245)
The Thai Pomelo Salad looked refreshingly appetizing as it didn’t skimp on sweet pomelos. However, Wild Ginger failed to master its signature Thai dressing as its sweetness masked the salty tones the dressing should have had.
PAD THAI (P275)
Plain looking as it may be, this Pad Thai is one of the tastiest I’ve sampled in the Metro. Though it’s not plated as intricately as other Thai restaurants’, it was executed perfectly. From the bite of its noodles, to the toppings it came with; and its balanced flavors, this Pad Thai is not one to be missed!
INDONESIAN
BEEF RENDANG (P325)
The Beef Rendang, a staple in Indonesian and Malay cuisine, is a delicate beef stew that can easily be ruined by the wrong amount of coconut milk. Few restaurants are able to strike this sweet spot, and Wild Ginger is one of them. My sister, who’s never been a fan of this dish actually enjoyed this hearty stew.
To pair with the Beef Rendang, we thought that a cup of Nasi Goreng (P70) would be perfect to go with it; however, their take on this classic fried rice was simply disappointing.
INDIAN
CHICKEN BIRYANI RICE (P325)
The restaurant had an interesting selection of fried rice hailing from different cuisines; however, the best (and the only decent one) that we were able to sample would be the Chicken Biryani Rice. This tasty Indian favorite is a complete dish in itself. Each grain was clothed in a delectable curry sauce which comes with just the right amount of spiciness! I’ll definitely come back to Wild Ginger just for this dish.
Wild Ginger allows one to explore the rich flavors and colors of Southeast Asian cuisine. One can overlook its mediocre dishes because it does have filling and hearty decent dishes that aim to comfort and satisfy. An added bonus is that its dishes come with budget-friendly prices, a rare gem to find inside the Powerplant Mall.
Droolworthy Dishes: Chicken Biryani Rice, Beef Rendang, Roti Prata with Curry Dipping Sauce, Crispy Tawilis, Pad Thai
Wild Ginger
Lower Ground Floor, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
Date of Visit: February 21, 2016 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
