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Dining Divas: Wild Flower in the Central West End
BY LISA KAMPETER
Twenty years ago as teenagers, we used to head down to the Central West End for excitement and atmosphere, and 20 years later, things haven’t changed. The Dining Divas headed to Wild Flower in the Central West End for an exciting dinner in a place filled with atmosphere.
On this night, the forecast threatened high winds, high temperatures, and severe storms, typical June weather. Because of this impending doom, we moved our party inside instead of dining on the outside patio, the perfect people-watching setting in the West End.
On this block sits Moxy and Chez Leon, two other restaurants the Divas have enjoyed. One contemporary, the other French, tonight we were having casual American gourmet, or as we looked at it, a little bit of everything. A little wild, like the Wild Flower name suggests.
But at the restaurant, that’s about as exciting as it got. The environment I remember from 20 years ago was quite mellow and tame unlike what I would think of a restaurant named Wild Flower. Perhaps the promise of storms kept the crowds away, but this night, the restaurant only had a few other tables besides ours. I was expecting so much more atmosphere from this trendy place. The light crowd did, however, allow us to easily carry on conversations without struggling to hear each other.
The bar, although quite desolate then, had promise of excitement during a Friday night happy hour. Even though the look of the dining area was formal, it was completely laid back and relaxed. The Newlywed Diva noted “distorted” photography on display, unique yet somewhat out of place for this restaurant.
Starting off the meal with a couple salads, a few ladies commented on how tasty and fresh they were. Two Divas really enjoyed the Signature Chicken dish. It was stuffed with cream cheese, roasted garlic, and chives and sat on top of Alfredo pasta with fresh broccoli. This signature item became the dish that was passed around the table. Everyone enjoyed it.
Ask for a box upfront if you order the wild mushroom fettuccine. This delicious tasting pasta shouldn’t be devoured in one sitting. And if you order one of Wild Flower’s “Adult Candy Bars”, (some people refer to them as martinis), finish it before dinner or save it for dessert. These chocolate drinks don’t really complement salads or pastas.
It was our newest Diva who thought the restaurant fell flat. No fizzle, just like her soda. The food was average as was the restaurant, needing a jolt of excitement. She had the capellini pomodoro that came with red sauce, onions, peppers, and basil, minus the spinach. The dish was standard, nothing fantastic. And a few other Divas felt the same way.
Set in the Central West End, I expected more life from a restaurant in this historical neighborhood. Our conversations were more interesting than the night life. At more than one point in the evening, the Colorful Diva who typically shares stories with us that shock us all, became embarrassed by our storytelling. As we laughed at her discomfiture and continued our conversations, we joked about how hot it had gotten in the restaurant. Rather than sitting outside in the heat, we chose to sit inside, where it eventually became equally heated.
Between conversations of interventions, blind dates, adventures in babysitting, and new relationships (one relationship that has only been over a phone and the other relationship that exists in her mind), we created our own excitement and atmosphere in the Central West End. And it never became unsettled, outside and during our conversations.
Two days later, the Central West End Art and Taste Fair was the exciting place it’s always been. And even though Wild Flower may have just been average and regular this Dining Divas night, this group is anything but ordinary, no matter what the weather.
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