Restaurant review: Wildwood

Where I ate:

Wildwood, Backnang Square, Chelmsford

I had never heard of the Wildwood chain before eating at the Chelmsford branch and now I know there’s a restaurant down the road, only in Billericay, I’m sure I’ll be returning quicker than I thought. It’s mainly Italian and rustic fare, with burgers and ‘grills’ thrown in for good measure. I went with my friend Laura who had never been before either, although she’d been wanting to go for some time. Although it was a Saturday night and we hadn’t booked, we still managed to get a table instantly, and the restaurant was so big, there were plenty of spare tables. The tables were quite close together and so, probably appeared more busy than it actually was.

What I drank:

Raspberry Bellini

As we were going out for cocktails afterwards, I didn’t want to mix wine and spirits. Both the wine and cocktail menus were extensive. I chose the raspberry bellini, over the original, as it’s a flavour I’m yet to try – I wasn’t disappointed. Laura went for a sex on the beach. Cocktails range from £4.95 to £5.15, which is very reasonable; wine prices start from £3.95 for a 175ml glass and £13.95 for the bottle (house wine).

What I ate:

Hoi sin duck pizza (with spring onions, cucumber and coriander) and portions of fries with rosemary salt

We decided to share a pizza and a couple of sides of fries – such a good idea, considering the portion size. Whoever thought of creating a hoi sin duck pizza is an absolute genius, it was incredible! Instead of a traditional tomato base, there was a liberal helping of hoi sin sauce, topped with shredded crispy duck, chopped spring onions and julienne cucumber. The coriander also added a fresh element.

The rosemary salted fries were also lovely, with just the right amount of seasoning and plenty of fragrant herb. For that extra rustic feel, they were served in a metal bucket with proper ‘chip paper’. There were loads of fried per portion and we could have quite easily shared just the one – there’s no way we could have managed a whole pizza each either.

We didn’t opt for starters or desserts but there a number of things to have caught my eye. It just means I’ll have to go back again soon!