Wild Garlic serves flavorful feast

Stacee Sledge

Jan 31, 2002 I'm a total garlic fiend. It wasn't always this way. My husband used to beg me to try garlic on pizza or in a chicken recipe he was cooking. I just couldn't. But he persevered, I finally gave in, and now I can't get enough of the stuff.

So it's only natural that the Wild Garlic has long been a lunchtime favorite for a group of girlfriends and me.

But I'd not yet experienced the nocturnal version of Wild Garlic. So, with my mother- and sister-in-law visiting for the holidays and tickets to a show at Mount Baker Theatre, my husband and I picked it for a pre-performance dinner.

Dark green walls hug the narrow dining room, which is lined with plush booths. A brick half wall adds interesting texture, while wood panels near the kitchen lend an upscale feel. Track lighting is kept comfortably low, adding to the formal ambience.

I'm convinced that Bellingham has a much higher ratio of friendly wait staff than other cities. The staff at Wild Garlic is no exception. Even on the bustling night of our visit, when each table was filled with theatregoers, our server was welcoming, informative and attentive to our every need.

The first of many special touches came with the serving of the bread. Bottles of balsamic vinegar and garlic-infused olive oil sit on each table, next to a stack of small plates. When the crusty bread was served, each person doctored up their favorite combination of oil and vinegar, then double-dipped to their heart's content.

We began with the shrimp cakes, seared in brown butter and served with roasted garlic aioli. With baby greens and sprouts piled high next to the crunchy cakes, the presentation was as striking as the taste. Fresh dill was sprinkled around the rim of the plate for added interest and flavor.

Wild Garlic

Directions:
114 Prospect St.

Phone: 671-1955

Menu items sampled:
Seared shrimp cakes $7.95
Mixed greens $3.25
Braised pork tenderloin $14.50
Garlic and herb shrimp sauté $18.25
Chicken fettucine $13.50
Chocolate truffle torte $4.95

Salads were served alongside the shrimp cakes, a toss of crisp mixed greens and a subtle herb-Parmesan dressing.

Pork tenderloin is a favorite dish of mine, and Wild Garlic does it with a tantalizing twist. Pan-seared pork tenderloin was encrusted with hazelnuts and drizzled generously with a bing cherry demi-glace. Sliced into bias-cut pieces, the tender, savory meat was a succulent success.

Six tiger shrimp lined the plate in a half-moon shape for the garlic and herb shrimp sauté. Garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and lemon combined with a sherry wine butter sauce to give the shrimp a decadent touch.

These entrées were served with thick garlic-mashed potatoes and sliced steamed carrots. My only grievance of the entire evening was with the mashed potatoes. They tasted delicious, but were served on the plate in a severe fashion, as though plopped on with an ice-cream scoop in a school cafeteria. It's a small complaint, but all agreed it detracted the tiniest bit from the elegance of the meal.

The chicken fettucine arrived mounded high in a pasta bowl and sprinkled generously with Parmesan cheese. The slices of chicken breast were moist and tender, tossed with fresh cream and surrounded by garlic (natch), sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and mushrooms.

We shared a dark chocolate truffle torte for dessert. It was served in high fashion, decorated with a flourish of crème anglaise alongside a gorgeous design of marionberry coulis and more of the crème. The dense, sinful cake was made of several different textures of chocolate, including ganache and truffle. My husband decreed it was in the running for best dessert in town (and he's tried practically all of them).

Later, as we sat in the ornate and formal Mount Baker Theatre, I fear the four of us may have been noticeably odiferous. If you were seated anywhere in our proximity that night and noticed a powerful perfume of garlic in the air, please forgive us. Next time, head to the Wild Garlic before the show and join in the garlicky gastronomy. Then you won't even notice.

The Fine Print: I dine on my own dime. The opinions herein are mine alone, not the Bellingham Herald's. Agree? Disagree? Please drop me a line at StaceeSledge@hotmail.com.

 

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