Even though I worked at Wild Ginger through high school, as a hostess and a server, I have to say that this review is unbiased. I still travel from South Philadelphia to eat and occasionally cover shifts here. It really is a great place.
It IS a small place, so it does get busy sometimes. But the wait is worth it. We have one of the nicest, talented and creative sushi chefs in the area, Vince, and always makes sure the presentation is on point.
Everything is made fresh, always. We use a salad bar, and each dish is created made to order.
There is options for EVERYONE here. Gluten free! Low sodium! Vegetarian! Vegan! And all levels of mildness or spicy. The dishes are flexible and it's easy to edit them to make it perfect for your taste.
The quality and price of the kitchen food and sushi is unbeatable in this area. It's a cozy atmosphere for a date, a small family party, a lunch stop (amazing lunch specials till 3 everyday but Sunday) or even a quick weeknight dinner with kids.
My recommendations from my extensive experience are as follows:
* PLEASE make reservations for Weekends, especially those around the holidays
* Understand that WG 2 does NOT serve Chinese food. This Jamison location serves Thai and Japanese Asian a Fusion. If you're looking for Chinese, head 15 minutes up York Rd. to WG 3 in New Hope!
* Appetizers are SO worth it (Scallion Pancakes, Gyoza or Shrimp Shumai, or Calamari are my favorite). And if there happens to be a wait, it will help the time fly by! If your feeling cold apps -- get the Seafood Salad (octopus, crab, shrimp, cucumbers, spicy mayo) or the Tuna Dumplings (stuffed with crab!)
* Most if not all entrées come with your choice soup or salad, and some come with soup (Miso, Dumpling, or Tom Yam/Kar) or salad (get the amazing house made ginger dressing you won't regret it) and a side of rice!
* It's hard to decide an entrée, but trust your servers recommendation. Tell them what flavors you're into and what things you absolutely hate -- if they're like me, they've probably eaten everything on the menu and know their stuff!
* Some of the best entrées are Pad Thai (I like it with extra sauce), Hot Fancy Chicken/Crispy Tofu (sort of like General Tso, but so, so much better!) or Mee Ga-Thi (curry flavored flat wide shaved noodles with veggies).
* Don't hesitate to ask for substitutions or additions to your meal. Sometimes, with additions there might be a small fee for meats or side items like that, but most of the time it's really no big deal!
* My all time favorite thing about WG 2 is the Sushi! It really is spectacular and incomparable to other places in this area like Ooka (severely overpriced), 86 West (same), or Jade Island (mediocre).
* Literally, LITERALLY, every single roll is delicious. Special rolls are generously packed and usually split into 8-10 pieces. Classic rolls have a perfect rice-fish ratio. There are also a lot of options for customizations (hand rolls, inside out, outside in, soy paper instead of seaweed, brown rice instead of white rice, etc.) and TONs of delicious sauces to dip (Spicy mayo - amazing not too spicy and made in house, mango - sweet, and eel sauce)
* OF COURSE I have a lot to say about Sushi
* My favorite special rolls: Wild Ginger Roll, Green Devil Roll, Mango Roll, and Dancing Roll. I will also post pics of the favorite special rolls I have designed with Vince (Sushi chef) and photographed for our specials board.
* My other favorite thing is that Special Rolls (Like Christmas or Valentines) are not only available during those holidays, but year round! It may not be on the menu but just ask for it :)
Please mark my review as useful if it helped you with your experience at Wild Ginger 2 in Jamison! read more