wild ginger

I had been passing by Wild Ginger at Rockwell’s Powerplant Mall for years. It seemed to be something out of this world, half-invisible, almost – now you see it, now you don’t, revealing itself only to the chosen few. Finally came the day when it decided it was time for me to taste their dishes. It shimmered into my consciousness and somehow led my feet into its cozy confines.

The minute I sat down, it felt like being at home in my own dining room, if my dining room had been decorated in Anglo-Indian style and had interesting things like leather-bound books and cricket bats on its shelves.

The menu was just right – a sturdy thing held together by metal rings, battered with use. It felt right, like it wasn’t trying too hard and was only being itself.

I turned its tea-colored leaves. Wild Ginger has a selection  of South Asian and South-east Asian food, from samosas and curries to Vietnamese spring rolls and lechon kawali.

I sampled a lot of dishes and everything was savory and flavorful, of the sort of taste that will make you come back for more, confident that every time you go, you will get the same gastronomic rush. Proper attention is also given to presentation, from visual impact to ensuring crispiness and the right temperature when dishes are served.

But they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Feast your eyes, then go on over there and feast your palate.

Spring rolls.

Vegetable samosas and Vietnamese spring rolls.

Nasi goreng.
Crispy tawilis.

Pad thai.

Sticky toffee pudding is a great way to cap a meal.

Wild Ginger is at the basement of Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City.

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