Lunch at Wild Rice, Vancouver

May 3

May 3 Lunch at Wild Rice, Vancouver

New Westminster is an area in Vancouver that I hadn’t really heard much about, until I went to the BCATW 2016 event in early April. While getting my networking on, I was lucky enough to win a voucher to try out the

Wild Rice Market Bistro

, so last week we hopped on the SkyTrain with empty stomachs and high expectations to try it out.

Wild Rice is based on the waterfront at the River Market (which is also home to a number of other independent cafes, restaurants and shops… I’ll need to pay it another visit!).

It’s spacious, with a fresh and contemporary design, open kitchen and generous outdoor seating area. It was a gorgeous sunny day, so we opted for the patio and a crisp glass of white wine to start.

The owner, Andrew, came to explain to us a little about the thinking behind the restaurant. There’s a big focus on using local, seasonal ingredients – Wild Rice have valuable relationships with farms and producers all over the region to ensure they get the best local ingredients into their dishes. The style of food is traditional Chinese, with a dash of modern flare thrown in for good measure! The food is served “family style”, so the dishes just come out whenever they’re ready, for a more rustic approach.

We perused the menu with rumbling stomachs, trying to narrow down our selections to just a couple of dishes. Eventually, we settled on two “appies” – Salt and Pepper Squid, and Free Range Chicken Bites. For a main, we shared a portion of Chicken Kung Po, which we were assured would be enough to feed the two of us.

It felt like we’d only just ordered when the chicken starter came out. Succulent little gems of chicken drizzled with sweet chilli dressing sat atop a bed of crunchy lotus chips. It was sweet, satisfying and just enough not to fill us up too much. The squid followed soon after. The large strips of squid had been coated in salty breadcrumbs and were warm and tender, served with a tangy tartare sauce. DELISH. Both dishes were dainty and beautifully presented, showcasing the natural colours of the lovely fresh ingredients.

But nothing could have prepared us for the Kung Po. It came served in a huge, steaming bowl, overflowing with thick ribbon noodles, tender broccoli and soft chicken. There were delicate flavours of chili and coconut, and I kept eating way past being full because of just how good it was.

If you’re still hungry after that (I’m not sure how you can be) there’s some tastebud-tantalisingly tasty looking desserts to choose from, including Crispy Apple Dumplings and a Chocolate Pyramid with Poached Pears.

Wild Rice is a great place for a long lunch when the weather’s nice. I just hope I can make room for dessert next time!