Menu for an Evening with Terry Thiese

We're getting super excited about our seminar/dinner with Terry Theise coming up on Sunday, July 31st at 5:30. Terry is a James Beard Award-winning importer of Austrian and German wines, and a really fun guy who loves Riesling.

Chef Jacky just sent me the menu, and it looks spectacular:

2009 Hiedler Riesling Urgestein, Kamptal, Austria

Imperial Tuna

Thai Chicken Satay

2009 Hirsch Riesling Zobing, Kamptal, Austria

2009 Hirsch Riesling Heiligenstein, Kamptal, Austria

Thai Style Fresh Spot Prawn Sashimi

Papaya Salad

2009 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett, Mosel, Germany

2009 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett, Mosel, Germany

Scallop and Chive Dumpling

Bangkok Boar Satay

2009 Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Kabinett, Nahe, Germany

2009 Strub Niersteiner Paterberg Spätlese, Rheinhessen, Germany

Salmon in Young Coconut

Spinach with Ginger and Garlic

2009 Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Klosterlay Kabinett, Rheingau, Germany

2007 Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Spätlese, Rheingau, Germany

American Wagyu Beef Grilled with Homemade Oyster Sauce

Wok Fried Gai Lan with Chinese Sausage

Seafood Fried Rice

2008 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erdener Treppchen Auslese**, Mosel, Germany

Bouncy Riesling with Fresh Fruit

This dinner takes place at Wild Ginger Seattle

at 5:30 pm on Sunday, July 31st

reservations can be made by calling the front desk at (206) 623 4450

price is $75 not including tax & gratuity ($99 inclusive)

Summer of Riesling Updates

Thank you to everyone who has joined us so far for The Summer of Riesling. If you haven't gotten down to one of the restaurants yet (or just want MORE!), never fear. We've posted a bunch of calendar updates, including some new events here.

Also, we wanted to tell you about the Heed the Hedonist Riesling Haiku Contest, which you can enter, here in order to win great Riesling prizes (actually prize, but it's really great).

Confucius Says Winemaker Dinner Menu

Confucius Says & àMaurice Cellars

Winemaker Dinner
Wild Ginger at The Bravern 6:30 pm Thursday, July 14th

àMaurice Cellars Viognier 2009
Imperial Tuna
Sesame Beef Rolls

àMaurice Cellars Chardonnay 2008
Vietnamese Style Soft-shell crab
Chang Mai Fish cake

Confucius Says (Cabernet/Merlot/Cabernet Franc) 2009
àMaurice Cellars Syrah/Grenache 2008
Solo Ltik (Thai style twice cooked duck)
Szechuan Green Beans
Pickled Ginger and Scallion Beef

àMaurice Cellars Malbec 2008
àMaurice Cellars Tobey 2008
Nam’s Lamb Chops
Black Bean Asparagus
5-spice Hoisin Grilled Chicken

$69 person ($90 including tax & gratuity)

Join us for Sips and Sounds at The Bravern

Join Wild Ginger, The Triple Door, and The Shops at The Bravern every Thursday in July and August from 5:30 to 7:30pm to toast to sunshine, live music and tasty drinks.

Wild Ginger at The Bravern will be hosting an outdoor fireside lounge at The Bravern in Bellevue with extended happy hour food and drinks. Guests can also enjoy other tasty treats from Trophy Cupcakes. Each week The Triple Door has selected a live artist to perform as well as a carefully crafted cocktail from Wild Ginger to benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Walk.

• July 14: Dan Rapport
• July 21: Terry Evans and the Big City Rollers
• July 28: Tor’s Blues Machine
• August 4: Lydia Ramsey & Bud Ransom
• August 11: Charles Mack
• August 18: Vunt Foom
• August 25: Jelly Rollers

This event takes place at The Bravern, in Bellevue. No reservations or tickets accepted or required, just show up and enjoy the music, drinks, food and sun.

Wild Ginger at The Bravern is Bellevue's premier Asian restaurant, featuring authentic, freshly prepared cuisine that spans the Pacific Rim from China to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

àMaurice Cellars & Confucius Says Winemaker Dinner

Join the inimitable Anna Schafer, àMaurice Cellars winemaker, as she shares all of her current releases, including Confucius Says, a red Bordeaux style blend from Washington that she created especially for Wild Ginger and The Triple Door. Of course, the wines and good conversation will be accompanied by selection of Wild Ginger delicacies, specially prepared by our chefs with the wines, and your dining pleasure in mind.

All of the guests who attend will receive a complimentary bottle of Confucius says, signed by Anna to take home with them. Confucius says is only offered at Wild Ginger and The Triple Door, but we will offer a limited amount for retail sale for guests who attend this dinner. This will be the only opportunity to purchase this special wine for consumption outside of our restaurants.


The dinner takes place at Wild Ginger at The Bravern, in Bellevue, at 6:30 pm, on Thursday, July 14th. The cost is $69 per person, not including tax and gratuity ($90 inclusive). For reservations, please call the restaurant at (425) 495 8889.

In Season: Snap Peas

You have to love snap peas; they are emerald green, sweet, crunchy, and as close as vegetables get to tasting like candy. When you have product this fresh, the lightest cooking method possible should be employed. Here’s a simple recipe we love, and put on the menu often, that highlights all that is good about snap peas:

1 lb fresh snap peas
1.5 qt boiling water
ice water for shocking

2 Tbl oil
1 garlic clove - finely minced
1/2 Tbl finely shredded ginger
salt to taste (about 1 tsp)

Top snap peas and remove the thread that runs on both sides. This is best accomplished by snapping off the top and pulling gently down to remove the string, repeat on the other side. Meanwhile, bring water to full boil. Blanch snap peas for about 20 - 30 seconds. Then remove peas and place in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the peas, and pat dry after they have cooled.

In a wok or large frying pan, heat oil until hot. Add ginger and garlic, stirring until they are evenly brown, add snap peas and toss until just heated through. Add salt to taste. Turn out onto a plate, and enjoy the taste of spring!

Other seasonal vegetables we expect to feature at Wild Ginger in the coming weeks include:

Stewed whole garlic cloves in a rich soy sauce
Ong choy prepared Indonesian style: with chilies and shrimp paste
Garlic chives with beef
Watercress salad with sweet crabmeat

Summer of Riesling 2011

At Wild Ginger & The Triple Door, we’re sure that there’s a place for nearly every kind of wine with our food, but if we were forced to pick just one, we’d pick Riesling. The vibrant citrus and stonefruit flavors, the bracing acidity, and the occasional hint of sweetness make our food, and our hearts, sing.

But why, you ask, do we need a “Summer of Riesling”? The story began in 2008 at Paul Grieco’s East Village winebar Terroir. He decided to pour no white wine by the glass all summer except for Riesling . . . and rather than bankrupt his bar, as saner people suspected would happen, it turned into a really fun summer during which he turned a lot of people on to a wine he was passionate about – Riesling. He did it again in 2009, expanded his offerings, and received a visit from the German Wine Queen (really!). In 2010, Paul invited like-minded New York restaurateurs to join him, and in 2011 he got beyond his east coast bias and invited us (we knew he’d come to his senses).

We’ve lined up a ton of Riesling related fun for you this summer, and hope that you will join in and let us convince you that Riesling isn’t just for ladies who lunch and wine snobs - though we’d love for more ladies to drink Riesling at lunch, and wine snobs are welcome!

Throughout the summer (June 21st – September 22nd) we will be offering a giant selection of earth-shatteringly good Riesling by the glass – something old (at least 12 years), something new, something unusual (like a ultra-brut sparkling Riesling), something blue (Dr. Loosen’s Graacher Himmelreich Stablay Kabinett made especially for Wild Ginger comes from only blue slate soil) and a whole lot of other great wines. There will be special informative (and interactive) Riesling lists, as well as special Riesling menus consisting of Wild Ginger delicacies paired perfectly with amazing Rieslings. And as if all that weren’t enough, Wild Ginger will be hosting an ever-expanding selection of events centering around Riesling, so keep checking back as we update the calendar. Summer of Riesling features and events will take place at Wild Ginger Seattle, Wild Ginger at The Bravern, and The Triple Door.