Wild Rice

Photo by Craig Bares

September 2005

Address:
84860 Old San Rd., Bayfield, Wisconsin, 715-779-9881, wildricerestaurant.com

The Scene
Wild Rice is an extraordinary restaurant in a most unexpected setting. Just south of the tourist town of Bayfield, it sits above Lake Superior screened from lake views by a thick forest of trees. The space is a mix of hard angles, natural materials, and natural light—the trademarks of its Duluth architect, David Salmela, who designed the interiors as well. The restaurant includes a commodious bar backed by colored glass panels, a dining room with a red open-truss ceiling, and spacious patios with heat lamps and wood-burning stoves. The crowd is a middle-aged mix of tourists (some shockingly underdressed in cutoffs and T-shirts) and locals out for a stylish night or celebrating a special occasion.

Our Take
It is interesting and a touch ironic to note that Minnesota’s two best country restaurants are in Wisconsin. And to call Wild Rice the best restaurant in Bayfield, or northern Wisconsin, or the western Lake Superior region is to do it an injustice, because it would be easily among the Twin Cities’ top ten were the restaurant located here. But like Harbor View Café in Pepin, the enchanting setting and space constitute so much of the package that it’s hard to discuss, in a vacuum, Wild Rice’s food. This is a singular aesthetic experience.

Food is part of the package, and chef Jim Webster, who came to Wild Rice from the now-defunct Clubhouse on Madeline Island, does his best to keep up with the room. His menu consists of modern presentations of international fare, rooted in the ingredients and seasons of the far north. Besides the 3 Great Plates here, we enjoyed a delightful amuse of gazpacho with shrimp and crème fraîche, followed by an appetizer plate that combined prosciutto-wrapped white and green asparagus in a balsamic glaze paired with a crab cake and lovely smoked-tomato béarnaise. Pan-seared Grand Banks sea scallops and Gulf shrimp were served over an inventive sauté of trophiette pasta, morels, leeks, lemon, and cream. A simple grilled New York strip with mascarpone mashed potatoes and winy mushroom sauce proved the kitchen can do justice to all-American as well. The only clunker was a fussy $14 Parmesan flan appetizer topped by a wild mushroom and its “jus.”

Service was competent and welcoming, yet a bit formal, but at these prices, I imagine guests expect it. Wild Rice’s wine list is inventive and always includes a selection of good-value specials.

Color, Wood, and Light
Architect David Salmela’s modernist stamp on Wild Rice is complete and total, from the barrel-vaulted ceilings paneled in native poplar to a glass-enclosed wine “cellar” that dominates the entryway to the rubber coasters, leather seating, and textured carpeting. The restaurant is essentially two Midwestern-vernacular “houses” joined by a glass breezeway. Salmela’s interiors are serene yet alive. From the play of light and color (note the geometric splashes on the kitchen doors) to the angles and owner Mary Rice’s art-glass collection, this is a theater of sights that offers aggressive competition to chef Webster’s regionally inspired fare. If you’re wondering whether a trip to Wild Rice from the Cities is worth it, the answer is a decisive yes.

Fine Print
GETTING THERE, GETTING IN: Wild Rice is five minutes south of downtown Bayfield, four hours north of the Twin Cities (via I–35 and Highway 13; the blue highway route through northwestern Wisconsin is just slightly longer). Reservations suggested.
HOURS: September, open W–Sa; October, Th–Sa; closed November– April. Call for hours.
NOISE LEVEL: Moderate.
KIDS: Kids’ menu available.
CARDS: AmEx, MC, Visa.
ENTRÉE PRICES: $24–$38 (three-course tasting menu, $38).
EXTRAS: Limited bar menu, private dining room overlooking kitchen.
Handicap Accessible.


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