Serves meat, vegan options available. Modern Thai food and Southeast Asian cuisine in a more upscale setting. Menu includes a section of vegetarian/vegan dishes made using vegetables and tofu. Prices slightly higher than average. Open Mon-Sun 11:30am-3:00pm, 4:00pm-10:00pm.
Categories: Thai, Southeast Asian, Non-veg
6 Reviews
First Review by RocketGomez
Contributions +50
Just for the window - Edit
They always have a vegan option on the menu but it's hard to trust them because their employees at the window cannot answer any questions. If you ask them about what the mayo on their vegan banh mi is, they don't know. If you get what seems to be egg in your singapore noodle dish and ask them what it is, they don't know. Some of them have said the spring rolls are vegan, and some of them have said they aren't. It's hard to eat here with confidence, so I've started eating here a lot less.
As for the quality of the options, it's often the best vegan lunch you can get downtown (if the above issues don't bother you) and usually the option changes weekly but sometimes they'll let a month go by with a really bland stir fry option on the menu...it totally depends.
Contributions +48
very tasty - Edit
They have a separate vegan menu.
The vegetable noodle bowl didn't have much vegetable but still very good.
Contributions +244
Consistent quality but kind of boring choices - Edit
I've eaten at this Wild Ginger location several times. The food seems to be consistent in quality and is generally adequate. It doesn't seem like they have changed their vegan offerings over the years. I find a few of the dishes are ok flavor-wise and some are fairly bland. This seems to be a popular spot and if you need something convenient or are with a group then this is a decent option. I'd choose Araya's any day over Wild Ginger especially if they still had a Bellevue location.
Pros: Fairly convenient location, Consistent quality
Cons: Often crowded and very noisy, Lack of diversity in food choices
Contributions +898
Some good entrees - Edit
Great service is proving to be a commodity in Seattle area. I have to say this place had at least one great waiter, got everything right and knew his part thoroughly. Well done, sir!
(Update: upon return, new waiter less superlative more game show host)
The food was also very good. The wide rice noodles were nice, perhaps a touch bland, but were wholesome. The green beans were done perfectly well. I have this dish in many places and make it at home and it was very well done here. The 5 spice tofu (or was it 7?) was a bit much for me. I don't think tofu needs to be overly sauced like this was, it made it a bit heavy. It was ok, just nothing special. I loved their iced tea.
[Update: upon return we did not enjoy the meal as much. It seems maybe we were simply excited to get something decent our first time, but this was much less satisfying. We still like one of the 2 dishes we got. The waiter had issues dealing w us this time and our special needs.]
I was intimidated by the mall valet parking honestly. But after you sit, the guy serving us was great and didn't let our difference bother him or get in the way of sharing his knowledge with us.
[Upon return we actually walked a bit.]
btw, they have a really cool hand dryer in the bathroom
we wont be back
Pros: green beans, dryer, free parking
Contributions +47
Uninspired Veggie Fare - Edit
In college we ate at the Seattle Wild Ginger on many occasions and the food was zinging with delight. Vegetarian entrees were loaded with a variety of colorful veggies and tasty light sauces.
This weekend we wanted to treat some friends (and ourselves) to a meal and we agreed on the Bellevue Wild Ginger. While we enjoyed seeing friends we have to admit the vegetarian dishes were sadly uninspired.
Both meat and vegetarian menus are way too protein centered with little in the way of vegetables. The separate vegetarian menu offers a selection of tofu dishes with amazingly few veggies; and the sauces are way too heavy.
Even the vegetarian satay seems uninspired. The veggie skewer is just two grilled vegetable and a mushroom: a zucchini slice, an eggplant wedge and a small shiitake mushroom. Not much too it.
The fresh rolls are - well - boring and bland with (again) not much in the way of vegetables; the accompanying pineapple sauce & dip is nothing to write home about either.
Our friends say the meat dishes are good. But the vegetarian is sorely mediocre. This turned out to be a big let down because we arrived at the dinner table with high expectations and healthy appetites. While we'd not say the restaurant is expensive in terms of dollars and cents it seems overpriced considering the lack of vegetables and uninspired dishes.
In any case, Wild Ginger is certainly not a place for vegetable hungry vegetarians!
Updated from previous review on Saturday March 03, 2012
Pros: Separate vegetarian (meatless) menu, Good service, Nice private seating
Cons: Not many vegetable options, Uninspired vegetarian dishes, Too much oil/heavy sauces
Contributions +189
Special veg menu, great cocktails, pricey - Edit
If you're on a budget, don't even bother with the rest of my review, 'cause this place ain't cheap.
Otherwise, it's great! Of course, I loved them before I even went because they have a special "vegetarian" menu, twhich clearly shows which of these dishes are vegan. Our waiter, Gabe G., was very professional and super competent--he even gave me a free taste of the sweet potato stew, and didn't even skip a beat when I asked questions about helping me pick out the best stuff that is vegan.
Lots of fancy cocktails & wine, and the restaurant is a beautifully designed space. The food was very good.
This isn't a vegetarian restaurant, of course, so it's a fantastic choice if you are going out with non-veg people.
Pros: Vegan items clearly identified, Great service & decor, Fancy bar selections
Cons: Expensive
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