A friend living in Summerville, South Carolina, could not wait to introduce me to her favorite restaurant in the area. She raved that the menu was so varied that she could dine there repeatedly. I was intrigued by its name: Wild Ginger Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar.
The thought of ‘Wild Ginger’ made me inhale deeply, conjuring up the deliciously pungent smell and taste of the spice. Before I stepped inside, I was inwardly singing the praises of this flowering plant, highly appraised for its medicinal and healing properties. I was excited at the thought of scouring the menu for gingery dishes.
Location: 608 Bacons Bridge Rd, Summerville, South Carolina
Menu: As one would expect, the restaurant offers Asian fusion fare. A quirky sushi bar occupying a large area to the left of the reception emphasizes the focus on its expansive sushi menu. The chef creates special rolls, sushi, nigiri, and sashimi plates.
The hibachi grill offers steak, shrimp, salmon, or scallop dishes, served with house salad or soup, vegetables, and rice.
Thoughts: The restaurant exudes a peaceful atmosphere with soft lights shining on the sprawling interior, cleverly split into separate areas. Customers can choose whether to sit at the quirky Sushi Bar and casual section or dine at the more formal booths and tables. Works of art tastefully adorn the walls, and to the right of the reception desk, colorful fish swim leisurely in a large tropical fish tank. The subtle background music sets a peaceful mood.
I was on the look-out for “gingery dishes” and surprised to find an intriguing Wild Ginger Basil Margarita under Signature Cocktails. The drinks menu included a variety of beers and wines, as well as hot and cold sake. After a friendly toast, we sampled my friend’s favorite chicken pot-stickers to share, and they were delicious.
I had a hard time choosing between the Wild Ginger Beef and the chef’s Special Wild Ginger sashimi roll. I opted for the pickled ginger, onions, zucchini, carrots, and mushroom stir-fry with beef in brown sauce. However, I vouched to have the sashimi with spicy tuna, avocado, salmon, and yellowtail on a follow-up visit.
A flavorsome mushroom house soup accompanied my meal.
My friend decided on a few different sushi rolls, the “best sushi in town!” Alluring names such as “Firecracker,” “Dynamite,” and “Detonator” spiced up the choices.
The service was so prompt, so much so that we were caught off-guard when the server brought the food out so quickly. The staff was friendly and knowledgable, patiently explaining the different items on the menu. The portions were so generous that we both had leftovers to take home.
This restaurant will undoubtedly see me again if only to sample the Wild Ginger sashimi roll!
Price Range: Kitchen Appetizers $4-8; Sushi Bar Appetizers $9-12; Salad $2-8; Soup $2-7. Wok on Fire (range $13 – $15); Hibachi Grill $13-24);
Hibachi Dishes $13-32. Chef special rolls $14; 2 piece Nigiri and 3 puece Sashimi, $6-10.
Guest Reviewer Bio: This review is written by Elsa Dixon. Elsa, a South-African born U.S. citizen, is a part-time piano teacher, freelance travel writer, photographer, food and wine-lover. During school holidays, she leads small group tours to South Africa and other countries, blogging on her website https://travelswithelsa.com/. She loves to visit her family who lives in Canada, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
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