Dining Out Review: Wild Ginger

It all started with a glowing amber bar. And a gregarious bartender. And an intriguing martini. And a well-trained duo of hostesses.

And . . . OK, OK. You get it. It started with a lot.

Wild Ginger has been open only two months, but it already runs like a well-oiled machine, an upscale restaurant worth its weight in service, ambience and Pan-Asian cuisine. This comes as no surprise, really, considering Chris Tsui, owner of Osaka Sushi and Sushi O, is behind this latest venture.

But credit must also go to general manager Michael Hinerman and chef CK Liew. Hinerman, former owner of Bistro R, not only is the face of Wild Ginger but also the source behind the well-oiled nature of this already-hot sushi spot. Liew, around whom Wild Ginger's kitchen was built, has been with the Osaka-Sushi O family for 1½ years.

Located in the new shopping center housing Mediterraneo, Wild Ginger is giving the Salisbury area what West Enders and Midlothianites have been enjoying for a few years: a comfortably chic culinary escape where both sushi lovers and carnivores can dine in mouthwatering harmony.

You want filet mignon ($27); he wants a sashimi plate ($25)? Done. You want French-cut lamb chops ($22); she wants shrimp fried rice ($15)? Done. And you can still split a bottle of wine chosen from Wild Ginger's diverse yet reasonably priced options ($28-$65).

Compared with its siblings, Wild Ginger could be called more of a small-plates style of restaurant, where sampling a variety of tastes is the best way to experience its breadth of offerings.

We began our visit at the aforementioned bar, chatting with Cordell Watkins, the gregarious bartender, as the hostesses gave us time to leisurely finish a spectacular ginger vodka martini before showing us to our reserved table.

After squeezing into a tightly spaced table for two, I was impressed with the polished swank of the main dining room. Dark brown walls are subtly enhanced by varnishlike swirls. Behind the sushi bar, a glass-enclosed stream of pink-lit bubbles adds a subtle touch of contemporary panache.

Wild Ginger's appetizers are heavily seafood-based, so we started with grilled calamari ($7) with Thai chili sauce. While the sauce added a zippy spicy-sweet note, the tentacles were overly grilled, leaving them rubbery.

Undeterred by this slightly shaky start, we split a variety of options as our main course: the Surf & Turf roll ($18), a rockfish special ($23) and the sashimi platter ($25).

If you've had Osaka's Power Roll, you'll love Wild Ginger's Surf & Turf roll, a lobster tempura roll topped with seared filet mignon, black and red caviar and a spicy-sweet, mayo-based sauce. The crunch of the tempura, the brawniness of the filet, the pop of the caviar, the creaminess of the sauce -- the roll is a spirited rainbow of flavors and textures.

Cooked in a ginger sake sauce and encrusted with wild rice, the rockfish was refreshingly unique. Like the roll, it covered the spectrum of palatability, with the sauce giving the firm flake of the fish a sweet lacquered glaze and the rice adding a savory crunch. Almost unnecessary was the accompanying nest of tempura holding two jumbo shrimp.

The sashimi plate was blissfully fresh -- 15 pieces of the chef's selection, including tuna, salmon and escolar, served on a bed of crushed ice under-lit with a purple glow. Each piece was nestled between garnishes of radish, lemon and flowers. It was so stunning, we almost didn't want to eat it.

Throughout the meal, our server was attentive without hovering and was well-versed in all the nuances of the menu. From its hostesses to bar staff to wait staff, Wild Ginger knows how to treat guests.

Wild Ginger shares the same attention to detail that its siblings, Osaka and Sushi O, have perfected, but it offers enough distinctiveness to become a standout in Richmond's upscale-dining scene.

Freelance writer and graphic designer Dana Craig considers dessert the most important food group. The Times-Dispatch pays for the meals on her unannounced visits to restaurants. Contact her at .