I was so looking forward to some good Thai food, but didn't find it here. I ordered the Thai green curry chicken... usually a staple. This had some weird vegetables for Thai curry like kale, broccoli cauliflower and there was very little sauce. What there was was tasteless. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Cambria. I really wish there was something like this place in Orange County. The owner Deborah Mok runs this wonderful little restaurant and puts so much attention to detail. Not only is there the regular menu which is always excellent but there's a daily special menu based off the wonderful items she finds at local farmer markets. She has a variety of dishes from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and even has some Indian pastries. To start I had the Tom Kha Kai which was a spicy Thai coconut and lemon grass soup with chicken and mushrooms. It was sweet and spicy and I enjoyed every bit of it. For lunch I ordered one of the daily specials which was the green papaya salad with shrimp. When I get this dish at Thai Nakorn it just has ground up dried shrimp in it. The dish here had the same, but also fresh shrimp, heirloom tomatoes, sweet peppers, tiny cucumbers, mint, and a delicious lime dressing. It was such a wonderful and refreshing lunch. You really can't go wrong with anything at this restaurant. My wife had the Beef Chow Fun which was served with pan fried glass noodles. I'll let her talk about her meal in her own review. Both entrees were served with a side of Feijoa which is also called a pineapple guava. This delicious fruit you eat by scooping the flesh out with a spoon. It tastes exactly like it's name... a mix of pineapple and guava. For dessert we had the macadamia pie which is just like a pecan pie but with Macadamias! Tasty stuff!! All this food was washed down with a Thai iced tea. read more

See all

So bad, just finished my dinner and it was terrible. Tasteless, tiny portions and MASSIVELY overpriced for the food we received. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say there were 15 green beans in my $9 appetizer order. My $16 vegan tofu dish was 1/2 rice and had 5 pieces of tofu. Yep, counted them. The best part was two warmed cherries and a 1/2 strawberry! Seriously. I wish I could say I was kidding. Service was unfriendly also. When we confirmed that our dishes would be vegan, we were curtly told that V means vegan. We learned long ago to double check. The consequences are severe when we unknowingly eat otherwise. Anyway, it would be nice if it were decent, but it's not. Buyer/eater beware! Don't take advantage of your patrons. They will eat your food and write the truth. read more

I ordered the seared sea scallops special listed on their white board outside of the restaurant. It just sounded so delicious with some sort of blackberry, honey sauce. It came with a mango, jicama cold salad, a couple of boiled brussel sprouts, 2 other misc. veggies that I couldn't pinpoint what it was. It looked like some sort of yellow carrots or squash like vegetable. A few spinach leaves and 2 slices of yellow beet. Such an interesting combo of flavors. What really surprised me was the price. It was $26 for a lunch sized portion of food. I only received 3 scallops!!! I should have asked how many comes in their order. Had I known only 3 came with it, I might have ordered something else. Way overpriced for the small amount of food. So, next time I'm going to give their regular menu a try. Maybe what they do best is sticking to their regular cooking. We shall see. read more

The problem with this spot is it's identity. If you are a first time patron and are expecting good Thai food, for example, you will be let down. Each dish is a twisted version of what you expect it to be. However, if you are local and desire Asian food, learn to edit your order by adding and subtracting as necessary to fit the dish to your expectations. Works for me. Good luck! read more

The place offers a decent selection of Thai menu items, but I was a little disappointed that my order came out to be tasteless. I had ordered a plate of pad thai noodles, which came out a little soupy, more than my liking. I may give this place another shot in the future read more

This place is unassuming and sort of easy to miss from the street, but do make sure to enjoy a meal or two here, if your visiting the area for a few days. Dinner here was delicious, Chicken Pad Thai and Hunan Beef. So good we had it two nights in a row! Pad Thai is light but filling, with a pleasant taste that isn't over-spiced. Hunan beef is made with cubes of filet mignon and served with brown rice and veggies, like mushrooms, carrots, peas (in the pod), various squash, and water chestnuts (I think) - they added a wonderful crunch! The meat was incredibly tender and flavorful and the sauce that flavors the meat is also on the rice and veggies, making everything delicious. Did I mention dessert? Fresh fruit sorbet flavors are made daily. I enjoyed a yummy peach sorbet, the epitome of summer flavors. It was light and refreshing, and just sweet enough. Be sure to pick some up on your next visit! read more

Such delicious, fresh, bountiful dishes! The four of us each ordered something different and LOVED our meals and appetizers. My salad even had tiny slices of cucumber cut in flower shapes. Really great Pad Thai, Green Curry Chicken, Tom KhaKai soup, salad with chicken, veggie satay and veggie spring rolls. Just a delightful meal. The menu is very diverse and you can request your dish to be prepared spicy. read more

This place is a keeper! Delicious. Healthy (lots of vegetables!). Gluten-free dishes. We'll be back'

I'm not sure why it's taken us the two years we've now lived in Cambria to try the offerings at Wild Ginger, but we're so glad we did! I have multiple food sensitivities, but this food is clean and really delicious as well! How lucky we are to have this wonderful take-out dinner option so close to home! read more

There seems to be a wide range of opinions on this restaurant. I'll add my voice to the positive ones. We arrived in town and were looking for an early dinner that wasn't too expensive and had healthy options. We were thrilled to find Wild Ginger. The owner was a very friendly woman who struck up a very nice conversation with us. Both of the dishes we ordered were specials and were delicious. One was a curry stuffed delicata and the other was a pork belly dish. Yum! We ate every last bite. To those who have written that this is not true Asian food, you are right! The restaurant is very clear that the food is Cal-Asian fusion. So if you're looking for a truly authentic Asian experience, head to San Francisco or Los Angeles. If you want cheap food, go to a taco stand. But for a sleepy coastal town where everything tends to be over-priced, this Asian-influenced restaurant was moderately-priced, tasty, friendly, and healthy. read more

I finally tried Wild Ginger and the food is delicious!! I'll be back. I wish it wasn't just takeout.

I have never been to the restaurant but I have met the owner at the farmers market she is a lovely lady and I am sure the food is good as she is hope to try it soon! read more

Wild Ginger - Asian Fusion Near Me - Cambria, California

I just had an amazing meal at Wild Ginger! Deb, the owner, chef, and all-around great person, was attentive without hovering, answered our many questions with good humor, and even suggested some other activities we should try while we are in Cambria. I started with the Vegetable Samosa, which was light and crispy, spicy without making me lose my sense of taste, and chock full of diced vegetables. My entree, Vietnamese Caramelized Prawns, was spectacular! It was accompanied by Brown Rice, a delicious Asian Slaw, and wok-hot mixed vegetables, including Snow Peas, asparagus, haricot vert, and bell peppers. I ate every bite! We were too full to try the house-made sorbet, but if it is anywhere near as good as my food tonight was, it will be well worth the return trip. This was a wonderful meal, and I look forward to spending another lovely time with Deb and her food very soon. read more

Wild Ginger - Asian Fusion Near Me - Cambria, California

Unassuming and tucked between a few other shops, I would have missed this place without the specials board outside and I'm glad I didn't. I opted for the braised pork & noodles special and the chicken & vegetable potstickers. The potstickers were about average but the braised pork & noodles were fantastic; the pork was full of flavor and everything on the plate went together well. My order was packed with care (takeout only) and the staff was friendly. I would love to try some of their other options in the future! read more

Excellent food! We had Pad Thai, Thai Basil Tofu, Peach Sorbet, Coconut Sorbet and the Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Pudding! And Crabbie's Ginger Beer was a great accompaniment. read more

See all

Wow! We were really impressed with the quality of our meal. We ordered the special, Shaken beef with noodles and Tom Kha Kai soup. Both had lovely, complex flavors. The shaken beef was so tender and was served with lots of perfectly cooked vegetables. The service was quick and courteous for take out. The portions were smaller than we expected and it's a little pricey, but we loved our food so much that we will definitely be back. read more

I am not exactly sure why this restaurant has only 3 1/2 stars but my wife and I think this place is amazing. We knew this wasn't authentic asian cuisine, so we weren't expecting that and we really enjoyed our experience. The first time we came here was a couple years ago, and we already had dinner at another spot when we came to visit, but wanted to check out the desserts and we really enjoyed the caramel creme brulee at the time. We came back this time around for valentines weekend and actually had a full course meal and it was great. The server there gave great customer service and gave good recommendations for me, when I had trouble choosing what I wanted to eat. Ultimately I had the Basil Chicken and my wife had there special which was a braised short rib pasta and we got calamari sticks, Thai chicken wings for appetizers and a caramel creme brulee and a lemon cake for dessert. The food was amazing and so was the dessert, this place is now one of our favorites when we come to Cambria. This place is a 5/5 for me and will come back when we make another visit to Cambria! read more

We had Beef and Pork chow mein with Tom Kha. Our sides were spring rolls. Everything was good but the spring rolls were rancid. They tasted like paper. Skip it if you're there. read more

Do not get the pad thai. Do not. Just don't. It is way over priced, and it is not pad thai. Nothing about it is pad thai. It is bland, dry, and unrecognizable. Do not order it. It tastes like regret and and mild anger. Just don't. read more

Takeout only for now - had vegetable pad thai and thai basil tofu. Easily the best thai takeout I've ever had - delicious. Hit the spot after a long day driving. read more

They have take out only. My order was wrong, gave us pad Thai with tofu instead of chicken and beef satay instead of chicken. This sucked since it was also intended for our kids to have some. The sesame chicken tasted like it came from a microwave, I've had better at Panda Express. The hunan beef had 4 pieces of beef and all food was served with brown rice. Overall I would not return. read more

Tried hard to like the food but there was just nothing exciting. Flavors were disappointingly bland.

We had been here 14 years before and liked this place so we came back. Tonight, though it was a different experience. When we arrived, the owner came and took our drink orders and proceeded to take our food orders. She asked if we wanted an appetizer to which we replied we would share the coconut butternut soup and in the middle of taking our order, she turns her back to us and started chatting with the folks at the next table. Really?? My hubby called her back and she asked if we had made up our minds. Good grief, we were right in the middle of making the order and asking questions about the food. Our food arrived, pad Thai for me and eggplant red curry for him. After a few bites, my hubby asked the server for chop sticks. She said ok, went back to the counter however, never brought the chopsticks. He waited and waited till he called her back again a second time . He repeated the request for chopsticks . She never apologized and told him she had to do something else first and would be right back. Two to three minutes later, she silently laid them on the table. The curry wasn't at all spicy although we were told it was medium spicy and it wasn't red. The eggplant was soggy and mushy as were the other veggies in the dish. The pad Thai was served in a bowl, had some crunchy veggies, 6 shrimps, the rice noodles were cut and the flavor was bland. No one came by to refill my water glass or ask if we needed anything else. It's a shame it wasn't what we remembered. read more

The food was good. We had the prawn stir fry and then we wanted a vegetarian dish without tofu so we ordered the Thai basil chicken , no chicken just extra veggies. It was good but probably needed the protein to soak up the sauce. Should've substituted for prawns because they were the best thing. We also had a mixed green salad that was fine but the dressing could've used more citrus it was mostly oil. Overall our experience was good. read more

This was hands down the best Thai food I've ever had. I'd been traveling for several weeks, dining out constantly and everywhere at dozens of restaurants. A fine dining restaurant up the street recommended this spot, as they had a 2 hour wait I couldn't hang for. I was in search of something vegetarian and fresh. I expected mediocre, overdone noodles and vegetables that I'd have a few bites of and box the rest in case I got hungry enough to get after later. Nope, ate my whole dang meal, salad and appetizer in under 20min. They were also extremely accommodating when it came to ordering for my picky AF 3 year old that I'm desperately trying to keep safe from premature, American diet heart disease. Bomb.Dot.Com! I even got a soup to go..on a full stomach. Ps. I'm pocket size, but I sure found a way to fit more in my tummy. If I lived in the area, this would be my jam! Also, I didn't feel the least bit greasy or gross considering the amount I ate. P.P.S. Super cute with frosty imported beers that are perfect for posting in your 'Gram feed (I got so many likes). Top notch for flavor and quality! I vill be bauch. read more

A fun fusion Restaurant. The owner who buys everything fresh from local farmers at the Farmer's Market, is quirky and fun to talk to. Don't miss what's inside the pastry counter. Especially the lamb samosas - soooo good! There's always a long list of delicious sorbets that are fresh with whatever is in season at the time. We try to always order from the weekly specials on the board instead of the written menu because the dishes are creative and always amazing. If you're lucky enough to find the lobster relleno on the board don't hesitate to order! And the calamari is some of the best I've had. Be advised that this is a small, unpretentious place. Seating is limited and a wine glass will not be found - regular glasses only. Just go with the flow. read more

See all

The tom kha soup, which I ordered as an appetizer, was very tasty, but the entrée was not. I ordered chicken pad Thai, and honestly thought there was a mix-up because I opened a container of mostly dry noodles mixed with tofu, corn, romanesco, broccoli, carrots, bok choy, and summer squash. There was very tiny amount of chicken mixed in which I discovered halfway through the dish, but the meal was definitely not what I expected. I should have trusted the lackluster Yelp reviews before placing an order. read more

The food was bland and mediocre at best. Quantity wise the large soup didn't suffice even 2 people. My Schewaan tofu was nowhere close to being spicy, with not even a hint of Schezwan sauce. The Thai basil chicken was dry and bland and the chicken was chewy. The only edible dish was the Thai spicy chicken wings....and those were also not spicy. Very disappointing experience overall read more

The food was quite bland and one-note. The chicken satay had no flavor and the peanut sauce was way too sweet. The Tom Kha Kai soup was supposed to be spicy bur was sweet instead. The Thai basil chicken was extremely dry and lacking in flavor. Expensive food that is most definitely not worth the price. read more

Most of the dishes were super sweet and in tiny portions. We ordered the pad Thai, caramelized prawns, Thai basil and mushrooms soup.

First of all, major apologies to the nice proprietor, as my GF miscalculated the tip and short changed her by at least a buck! We had a great time and experience in this casual bistro setting. The owner being Singaporean, where there is indeed a melting pot of asian cuisines, she's put together a menu with a blend of different asian dishes, including Indian. We stuck decidedly on Thai fare. We started with the Tom Ka, whose soup was a little thinner than I've had before. However, it was absolutely delicious and not overpowered by coconut, among the best I've had. The amount of chicken was small, but for an appetizer my GF and I were both pleased. For entrees we had the Deep fried Sea Bass in a Chili Sauce at $22 and the Thai Boulliabase with New Zealand mussels, calamari, shrimp and sole in a thai green curry for $19. The sea bass was a whole one, wonderfully cooked, with little sides of papaya salad, daikon radish, and root vegetables of carrots and japanese turnip. For a single entree, it was very large. The Bouillabaise was very good, included broccoli and other veggies with an angel hair pasta. I found the sauce on the mildly bland side. The mussels were big and juicy and perfectly cooked, certainly the highlight of the dish. I had a glass of the local reisling, served in a drinking glass, which, while fun, detracted a bit from a meal that was not inexpensive. Otherwise, the presentation of the dishes was excellent. Sadly, we had to run to catch the Hearst Castle evening tour and had to skip dessert, but the homemade fruit sorbets woulda been my pick... read more

So, this is a bold hypothesis. I believe that the Korean Dumplings on their special menu for $12 is the identical dumplings I get like 3lbs of for $12 from Costco. You get 4 dumplings for $12. They are greasy, mass produced, and frankly disgusting. This is just straight shenanigans. Over $60 later and my significant other and I are still hungry. Go find somewhere else in town that actually cooks their own food and gives you adult serving sizes. What an absolute joke. read more

This is a true treat! Flavors are subtle and divine! Get there before the 5pm opening or you may have a long wait for a table. I just wish these guys were in Paso so the drive home was less. read more

Today I ordered The Chicken wings, got home to find bugs in my order. Bugs in the lettuce. I did not freak out about it at all, I thought that perhaps it came from the lettuce or fruit that is as garnish with the chicken. But I had lost my appetite. I only had one bite of the chicken. I called & spoke to the owner. She told me to bring the order back to show her cook. They gave me my money back, plus the tip I had given. When I returned, I was pleasant, & said "the one bite of chicken was good", "the owner said of course it was" in a snotty, arrogant way. The cook took a look at the food & said he was sorry. He said he believed it came from the lettuce. The attitude from the owner was terrible. She acted like it was my fault that they had bugs in the food. She did NOT apologize 1 time & acted angry & annoyed that I would bring it up. The only perosn who was nice and said sorry was the cook. Not a cool way to treat good customers who enjoy supporting the local business. We Won't be back. read more

Wild Ginger - Bug in food - Asian Fusion Near Me - Cambria, California

VEGAN EATERS HERE. To be honest, I'm perplexed by some of the reviews here, some just downright mean. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts". Wild Ginger is an absolute jewel of a restaurant, full of calm and, amazing food! I've lived in the Bay Area and Los Angeles and I know good Thai/Asian fusion food and this ranks up there with some of the best, very similar to Tommy Tang in his heyday on Melrose Ave. or, the legendary Mu Du Noodles in Santa Fe. Yes, the prices are a bit higher than they might be in Santa Maria or SLO but you are in a small resort town, a bit isolated and, where rents are clearly high. Suck it up and say Thank You! The owner/chef, Deborah Mok goes very far out of the way to source the finest organic ingredients, everything is so fresh it was startling, with tastes being so layered and richly spiced, sauced and just luscious, not laden with corn starched sauces or soy sauce. There were four of us, two of us are vegan so I will concentrate on our food; for starts a crispy fried tofu satay in a peanut sauce that had us licking the plate, served over freshly steamed spinach to start. Even the tofu tasted different...I asked what brand was used and the owner went to the kitchen returning with a box of the tofu which I know to be a superior brand, it tasted it. Moving on to the Wild Ginger Curry with gently sautéed tofu, vegetables, freshly shredded daikon, and cilantro with heat to excite and coconut cream to calm. The brown rice was perfect, not starchy or sticky, there was even a side dish of FRESH chutney. Then, Sczechuan Tofu, loaded with fresh vegetables including baby squash with the blossoms in tact, cashews, even fresh figs with garlic and lots of fresh chiles. We shared everything and were in HEAVEN. Our companions had a "Stuffed Egglpant" special, that looked remarkable but had fish sauce. We were told that with a little notice it could be made vegan for us and, another special, a "Pan Fried Noodles with Pork", which did look luscious and, again, told it could easily be made vegan next time. There were three or four housemade desserts that sounded amazing but, it was the fresh made sorbets which got to us. We ordered pomegranate, FRESH coconut and, passionfruit. We were not disappointed. The restaurant business is not an easy endeavor and I would just suggest that people try to consider a little more carefully before criticizing a place for serving shrimp "from a supermarket, expecting giant prawns". The integrity of Wild Ginger is beyond that sort of comment. Just a thought. We can't wait to come back. Thank you, Deborah read more

This is a hidden gem. We spent a week in Cambria and this was one of our top 3 meals. We had the calamari, vegetable soup, Korean dumplings and a seafood dish (sorry can't remember what it was called). The food was delicious. The price point was excellent. The quaint outdoor dining area was perfect for an afternoon bite and beer. The owners were friendly and awesome as well. Highly recommend. read more

If you're looking to eat at Wild Ginger it is likely because you're trying desperately to find a reasonably priced menu in Cambria. You don't want pizza and the Mexican restaurant nearby is over-priced and loud. Wild Ginger is a little too cozy with a true hole-in-the-wall feel. I got the Thai green chicken curry which was flavorful but the quantity completely missed the mark. The pre-made/mixed Thai ice tea was both expensive and terrible. read more

The butternut coconut milk soup was delicious. We brought our dog, which was nice that the restaurant was dog friendly. We had the tofu Szechuan and Thai basil tofu bowls, both of which were excellent. The food is artfully presented and servers nice. The owner was kind enough to tell me the ingredients in the soup so I could make at home. Definitely try the pomegranate sorbet if it's available. It was delightful. We are new vegans, and places like this make it easy! read more

Every time we come to Cambria we eat at Wild Ginger at least once. Deborah has an amazing place with food that just explodes with flavor. She's a delightful host and is always creating daily specials to keep things fresh. Tonight we had the seared ahi salad and spring rolls and orange shrimp. Everything is always, highly creative, cooked perfectly, and tastes fantastic. Try the samosas for starters and the berry crisp for dessert. Yum. Thanks Deborah. read more