One of my favorite dining experiences last month was a new concept from the team that brought you Gozu, the Japanese wagyu steakhouse with an open fire kitchen. Born out of the same space, is The Wild, a California-forward menu that features wild and cultivated local ingredients. The new direction allows chefs Marc Zimmerman, Peggy Tan, and Mark Lieuw to reconnect with their roots in a less restrictive format, and I am here for it.
The concise menu features a la carte dishes or a chef’s choice 5-course tasting for $130. I had the chef’s tasting with additional supplements, and I love that I can definitively say every course was a hit.
I loved the forest presentation of the first few chilled courses, from a fresh heirloom tomato avocado salad to a meaty tuna crudo.
Next were the warm dishes, which started off strong with grilled mussels in a creamy sweet potato sauce. This was such a great example of what I crave in an elevated comfort food dish. I also had much anticipation for the uni noodles, and expectations were exceeded, just like the overflowing uni foam topping. An aged Sonoma duck with blackberry and salsify rounded off the strong, savory courses.
Then came a caviar sundae, which served as a transition to dessert. This was the most memorable course of the night. I’ve never had anything quite like caviar with white asparagus and corn, and this interesting, savory-sweet combo gave my taste buds a new flavor profile to crave.
Lastly, dessert featured one of my favorite pastries, the Bordeaux cannelé. The Wild’s version incorporated porcini powder, for a hint of savory, served with candy cap caramel and birch ice cream.
Service was wonderful as well, and I enjoyed the intimate counter seating around the central hearth.
