Having eaten at the restaurant on more than ten occasions over the last few years, I have developed a fairly good sense of the range and quality of the menu items, the general level of service, and the restaurant's overall "vibe".
I give this restaurant my very highest recommendation.
First of all, the restaurant is run by an executive chef who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. The majority of noteworthy personalities in culinary circles are graduates of this institution. I don't know how many C.I.A. grads run Wausau area restaurants, but I would venture to guess very few. In addition to this esteemed credential, the chef has 25 years of experience, the majority of which includes some of the very top restaurants in south Florida.
One look at the WISH menu and you will see this isn't typical Wisconsin supper club fare of steak, lobster and Friday fish fry. Interesting and unusual daily specials written on the chalkboard near the entrance, a range of salads (there is no salad bar), and the soups...the soups are particularly noteworthy. The chef has been specializing in soups literally for the past two decades. He has lobster bisque and tomato, as well as a different soup special each day. If nothing else, go in just for the daily soup special!
The seafood portion of the menu includes fish--halibut, salmon and walleye--plus a daily fish special. Weekly specials include shrimp scampi, walleye, and whitefish boil. King crab and lobster can be ordered as sides. The seafood is mostly flown in fresh daily from a provider in Boston.
The true focus of the menu is on the steaks--nearly all of which are sourced from Allen Brothers in Chicago. The fact that the steaks come from Allen Brothers is significant. Some of the very best restaurants in the country get their steaks from them--Morton's, Charlie Trotter's, Gene and Georgetti, Del Frisco's, The Prime Rib, among others. The list is distinguished and this feature should not be underestimated!
Interesting sides and desserts (particularly the dessert specials) round out the items available on the menu.
Being a beer geek myself, and not being particularly knowledgeable about wines, I will refrain from commenting on the breadth and depth of the wine menu. I do know that significant effort is put into the wine selection they have. I can also say, however, that over the last few years the restaurant's interest in keeping interesting artisinal beers in stock has been very much welcomed by me. Being from the Twin Cities, I was happy to see some of Summit's specialty beers available....in addition to some of the local beers (i.e., New Glarus) that I cannot get in Minneapolis.
Lastly, I think the best aspect to the place is its casual, homelike, almost intimate, vibe. No aspect of this restaurant is pretentious.
WISH delivers memorable food in a restrained and well-behaved manner. I think that those with a true interest in fine dining will find that the experience delivered by this establishment to be one that will keep them coming back... read more