Bites Nearby: Wild Rice

Lately, I’ve been noticing a lot of restaurants in the Valley that seem to have never caught my eye before: some pizza places nestled in between nail salons and grocery stores or hoagie spots in some of my favorite shopping centers that I just never seem to have noticed. One of those is Wild Rice, a hibachi/sushi/Asian cuisine restaurant in the Tilghman Square Shopping Center on Broadway in Allentown. I regularly visit AMC and Planet Fitness, but always seemed to overlook Wild Rice. So, for this week’s Bites, I decided to explore some uncharted territory and find out what I had been missing.

The Dishes: Pork Dumplings, Pepper Steak, General Tso’s Chicken, and fried ice cream.

What’s on the Plate: We each selected a lunch combo, settling on the Pepper Steak and General Tso’s Chicken, which were served with pork fried rice and our choice of an eggroll, wonton soup or egg drop soup.

How’s it Taste: Our appetizer of pork dumplings was absolutely delicious, and without a doubt my favorite part of the meal. The dish served up six small dumplings in a savory soy sauce, and was enough to give you something to nosh on while you waited without filling you up. If you are hungry, though, it might be a good option for a side dish to an entrée, as the dumplings are considerably smaller than you might be expecting.

Our lunch combos, only six dollars apiece, were a really great solution to some midday hunger. My steak was tossed in a tangy sauce with peppers and onions, a perfect complement to my pork fried rice which, thanks to my generous helpings of soy, was a little on the salty side. My lunch partner had no complaints about her General Tso’s, either.

I’ve had fried ice cream before, and I will admit it has a pretty unique taste. The ice cream is usually pretty solid, but is inside of a breaded casing and occasionally topped with whipped cream. Wild Rice’s version of it was also topped with sprinkles and garnished with orange slices. My friend wasn’t such a big fan of our dessert, but I find it hard to turn down ice cream in any form. If you haven’t ever tried fried ice cream, definitely order a serving of Wild Rice’s.

Eat This Because: Our lunch combos were a really great option for a midday meal, and, for six dollars, we got more than we would have at a fast food restaurant. Wild Rice also offers dinner combos, for eight dollars. If you’re ever in a bind and looking for a cheap but filling meal, Wild Rice is it.

Tab: $27.00, including two beverages.

Etc:  Wild Rice offers a deal for Foursquare users to check in and receive a special offer. Although we didn’t try it, I’d encourage any new diners to and let me know what they had waiting for them!