Wild Orchid earns bouquet of compliments
The Washington Times [07.2004]
By Scott Harin
Business is blooming at the well-hidden but well-regarded Wild Orchid Cafe in Annapolis.
The cafe is a contemporary American restaurant set in the quaint neighborhood of Eastport. Originally built in the 1930s, this charming bungalow-style home was completely renovated in 1994. The cafe as it is now debuted in May 2001.
An array of bright, colorful orchids in a vintage display case offers a warm welcome just inside the front door. An intimate dining area is to one side (along with a fireplace for the winter months) and more tables arranged simply against a row of windows. Floors are wooden, and the walls are painted with contemporary white, yellow and green. In the warm-weather months, diners can choose to sit on the good-sized patio in the fenced and shaded back yard.
Executive chef Jim Wilder's menu is based primarily on the Chesapeake Bay region but also borrows heavily from Southern, French and California techniques.
The plate presentations are stunning (unless you don't like your food layered) and the service is very attentive — maybe even overdone at times. Every time I took two sips from my water glass, someone was filling it again.
The menus change like the seasons. Right now, there are roughly the same amount of seafood offerings as meat and poultry.
The chef's signature dish is a layered creation called scallops Napoleon. Pan-seared scallops are joined with pecan-lemon sweet-potato pancakes, sauteed leeks and mushrooms and finished with a lime sauce.
The sushi-grade tuna attracts attention as well. Blackened ahi is seared to medium rare, topped with mango and toasted coconut chutney, served with spiced jasmine rice and seasonal vegetables and accompanied with ginger-soy dipping sauce, wasabi and chopsticks.
Atlantic salmon obviously is a favorite, as there was one version on the menu and another as a special. The lunch and brunch menus offer a different preparation as well.
All versions have the salmon grilled to perfection. The special of the evening ($26) came with a tomato-and-avocado salad with strawberry vinaigrette and roasted Yukon Gold potatoes. The salad was a fresh and flavorful accompaniment, with the vinaigrette nicely tart.
The menu version is paired with rock shrimp and roasted corn salsa, laced with a garlic beurre blanc, served over herbed Israeli couscous and wilted baby spinach. The lunch/brunch version ($13) is topped with mango and toasted coconut chutney and served with jasmine rice and wilted spinach.
Meat lovers swear by the tournedos au poivre. Beef tenderloin medallions are encrusted with tricolored peppercorns, topped with a ragout of artichoke heart, roasted red pepper and chevre cheese, served with garlic mashed potatoes and finished with an herbed chardonnay butter.
Rack of lamb ($28) is herb-seared New Zealand lamb with a port wine demiglace, served over roasted red bliss potatoes with seasonal vegetables. The lamb was flavorful, tender and expertly prepared, while the sauce added just the right richness. Seasonal vegetables were a well-seasoned melange that was crisp yet tender.
For the vegetarian, there are twin portobello medallions ($24). Marinated portobellos are layered with roasted tomato and shallot fondue on a nest of charred Vidalia onions, mounded with garlic mashed potatoes and sauced with a tomato coulis. It's a tasty dish if you like onions, as the flavor of the Vidalias spoke louder than the featured mushrooms.
All entrees are served with house salad and fresh bread. The soft, yet crusty loaf was served with a spinach, mushroom and leek spread. The house salad is a flavorful combination of mixed baby greens tossed with fresh strawberries, gorgonzola cheese and toasted almonds and finished with a house-made raspberry vinaigrette.
If you want more with your meal, the prix fixe menu ($35) is an attractive option. You get a pick of the entrees, with the bread and salad, and a choice of crab soup or soup du jour and a dessert.
Try the Wild Orchid's take on crab soup — butternut squash soup with Maryland lump crab. This unusual soup was silky-smooth and creamy and had a nice amount of lump crab meat. The taste was very unusual, with the sweetness of the butternut squash nicely balanced with a sprinkling of a spicy red pepper blend.
Other starters include a crab fondue and smoked salmon Napoleon.
There was a large offering of desserts. Most are made locally, but not at the restaurant. We opted to try one of the dessert specials — mocha creme brulee — which was made in-house.
This was not your traditional creme brulee. There was a tasty crust of caramelized sugar, but underneath was not the traditional baked custard. The base was smooth, silky and cold, more like mousse than custard. It was unusual and very flavorful.
An in-house wine specialist selects choices from Wild Orchid's wine list.
In town for lunch? The Wild Orchid offers some unique sandwich options.
The blue bison burger is lean ground bison grilled to order and topped with blue cheese, hickory-smoked bacon, caramelized mushrooms and onions and served on a kaiser roll with lettuce and tomato.
The Wild Orchid club is made up of layers of grilled chicken, ham, red onion, lettuce and tomato with an avocado spread on focaccia bread.