Photograph by Catherine Grace
Reader, I doubted. When my first course arrived, a seasonal roasted squash salad, I looked at the chunks of vegetable sitting on dollops of quark and lowered my expectations. While pretty, it looked like the kind of overpriced, overhyped dish for which fine dining (sometimes rightfully) gets lampooned. Then I had my first bite, and I believed. The second made me a Wildweed convert.
Photograph by Catherine Grace
When the plate was empty, I could’ve cried. A little heat, subtly sweet squash, and the delicate cheese produced an enchanting opener. Magic like this grows slowly, and Chef David Jackman has had time to perfect it on the long road between Wildweed’s first pop-up and today’s brick-and-mortar location. The venue honors those roots with old posters and menus from previous incarnations. Bar seating rings the countertop that separates the worlds of service and prep, providing a glimpse into the artistry behind each meal. It’s the exact opposite of the old adage about seeing how the sausage is made.
Wildweed capitalizes on fresh flavors that push beyond expectation. Striped chicken tortelli is the restaurant’s poster child, a role it handles with grace and a taste like no other. The chicken dances with the shrimp, fried shallots, coriander, and nước chấm-inspired vinegar in a complex tango that might be mistaken for a choreographed riot at a distance. There’s always another layer to taste, another texture to enjoy, and another chance to wonder how it all works so well. This is the kind of dish that makes you want to lick the plate.
Photograph by Catherine Grace
The unexpected thrives here. Where else can you find a rib eye steak sporting umeboshi, seaweed jelly, and fermented crab? The menu sparks curiosity as much as appetite, listing ingredients and letting your imagination run a little wild. You may think you know what to expect, but as I found out, guesses are fallible, especially in the face of the Jackmans’ innovation. Sometimes being wrong is humbling, but at Wildweed, it just makes you hungry.
1301 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 246-4274, wildweed-restaurant.com
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