By Richard Hack
In a city full of Chinese restaurants, it is always a joy to find that gem of a place that combines extremely delicious and inventive Asian cuisine with a sophisticated ambiance that beckons to the more romantic among us. Tucked away on chic Las Olas Blvd., along the Hammarshee canal, Wild East Asian Bistro offers all that and more.
Unusual by design, Wild East is housed on three levels—the main dining room in a cool industrial décor softened with faux bamboo and mood lighting, or two al fresco sections overlooking the canal, where active jumping fish seem to be putting on their own aquatic show day or night, and the occasional kayak or canoe will drift slowly by as if on cue.
The servers move in hushed efficiency, appearing by some zen instinct when needed, and then disappearing into the background around the open kitchen where Chef Richard Ha performs his magic amid the leap of flames and stir-fry pans.
While the extensive menu mixes Korean, Malaysian, Japanese and Thai dishes, it is the abundant Chinese offerings that always seem to get the taste buds eager to explore the over one hundred options that unfold like surprises inside a fortune cookie.
Divided into a gastronomical map, the menu is sectioned into “Makimono (Rolls)” “Soups,” “Chilling (Salads),” “Warm Up (Lo Mein, Fried Rice, Chow Fun),” and the “Main Event” entrees featuring “The Land,” “The Sea” and “The Field” to cover all the bases. The real challenge, of course, is choosing between the selections with poetic names like Ancient Chili Pepper Chicken–a hot number with chili pepper, scallions, and five-spiced soy ($17), Midnight Steak—bistro medallion chucks with shitake mushrooms, peppers, onions and black bean sauce ($21), Firecracker Noodles—a blend of chicken, ginger, pepper, chilis and scallions mixed atop udon, and Beijing—a half duck, cooked with scallions and cucumbers, and served with steamed pancakes and hoison sauce ($23). Our personal favorite from the entrée menu is the perfectly cooked Siam Sea Bass, which arrived at the table wrapped like a gift inside a banana leaf ($22). It doesn’t get any better if you like red coconut curry.
The place has been a Las Olas staple for three years now, and you’ll find it bustling with regulars seven nights a week. They seem to find multiple favorites from the Sake selection, which includes a wide range of brands and bottles priced from the $9 Tokuri Ikkon Blue Label Unfiltered to the ultra-chic $89 bottle of Wakatake Onikoroshi Devil Killer Shizuoka. The always fun Saketinis are abundant as well, with Sex on the Beach and Red Dragon two of the most potent ($9).
If you are in the mood to experiment, skip the main menu entirely and head immediately to the colorful small-plate menu where each dish is a bargain at only $6. We always try to select several new options on each visit, although who can resist the classic Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Baby Shrimp Cups, or a heaping plateful of Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad—standard fare on every foray.
With 52 items on the $6 menu, you literally can graze for hours. Among the most popular are Flaming Calamari, Crispy Beijing Duck Wings, Sake Clams, Grilled Miso Mahi, Lap Cheong Shrimp Lo Mein as well as assorted dumplings and fried rices.
Owner Peter Wong has managed to do the impossible by combining a drop-dead location and a delightful atmosphere with prices that can be less than a visit to Burger King. Credit his wife Emily for some of the more inventive $6 plates including the Thai Lime Noodle Salad, a combination of skinny rice noodles, with julienned carrots, celery, cucumbers, bean sprouts and the tiniest slices of grilled chicken this side of Shanghai.
Though the idea of eating dessert at an Asian restaurant may not be instinctive, don’t pass up the “Sweet Endings” menu. Although our favorite Chocolate Trilogy—white, milk and dark chocolate mousse cake at $8—seems to always be sold out, a good second choice is Marquise Au Chocolat, a chocolate sponge cake with a sweeter-than-heaven ganache at $8. Big enough for sharing, though you won’t want to after the first bite. Even the simply refreshing Asian Ice Cream Trio at $7 is an outstanding choice—red bean, green tea and mango ice cream served in a large martini glass. It gives yum a new meaning.
And don’t forget that after the meal, all of Las Olas beckons right outside. End your evening with a stroll up the boulevard, and people watch to your heart’s content. Wild East is open for lunch every day except Sunday, with dinners every night of the week. They are open till midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings, with a special late-night menu. Make sure to tell Wild East that the Florida Agenda sent you.
