Wild Ginger, Calgary

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  • Wild Ginger

    Review by Ron Brill
    When attending Penny Lane venues, you are greeted with two options, much like the choice between chocolate or vanilla. Either it will be a full-on nightclub in disguise as a restaurant or it will be visa versa. The latest PLE endeavor, Wild Ginger, is very much the former, and is highly satisfying in every way. The downer - it's unbelievably expensive for no apparent reason (other than a blatant attempt to capitalize on the up and coming oil heirs).

    Upon entry, the bar is dim and the saketinis are flowing. Outfitted with dark, saturated reds and browns, the massive space, with seating for 450, is no mere neighbourhood nook. Though it’s far from the “House of Blue Leaves” (Kill Bill’s Crazy 88’s tatami house hang out), the illusion of a downtown Tokyo club - as apposed to the sake bar it was angling to be - is intact.

    Executive chef and managing partner Shaun Desaulniers, the resident Shanghai Cowboy, stays firmly rooted in the core principles of East-meets-West flavours, putting prime ingredients on a sparsely designed plate and allowing them to speak with minimum interference – somewhat of a Feng Shui aesthetic.

    The menu at Wild Ginger hones in on Pan-Asian flavours to appeal to the picky Western palate; a mix of hot and cold appetizers, house specialties, cooked entrées and sushi that can be tough to navigate (much like Columbus’ trade route attempts to China), but aims to hit all bases. The tapas plates are equally scrumptious but more creative.
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    2 Reader Reviews

    1. EEE's Review :: June 7, 2007
    All flash, no bulb. Food, like waitstaff, was all pretense, no substance. Food was overpriced, underflavoured. Lunch for 3 with NO DRINKS was over $100, left hungry and unsatisfied. Neat atmosphere, but it is all Wild Ginger has.

    EEE's Rating: 1 Stars
    2. Finerdiner's Review :: May 15, 2007
    Instantly forgettable. Inexplicably pretentious. Menu needs CPR. Pan-Asian cusine is afforadable, but poorly presented. Location would be better suited to something else. Like a carwash.

    Finerdiner's Rating: 2 Stars
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    Wild Ginger

    Address

    351 4th Avenue South West, Calgary, AB

    Phone

    403-262-2888

    Area

    Eau Claire

    Cuisine

    Pan-Asian

    Venue

    Restaurant, Lounge

    Hours

    Mon. to Fri.: 11:00am-5:00pm
    Mon. to Wed.: 5:00pm-10:00pm
    Thu. to Sat.: 5:00pm-2:00am

    Price

    $$$$ (expensive)

    Payment

    Master Card
    Visa
    American Express
    Diners Club
    Restaurant

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