Wild Earth Cucina Italiana
With a classy yet comfortable atmosphere, Wild Earth offers authentic Italian classics and unique variations on old recipes using local and seasonal products.
Wild Earth Cucina Italiana, located in Potawatomi Bingo Casino, will have its grand opening in early September. As an invited guest last night, TCD was graciously able to sample some of the food that will be featured at the soon to be open restaurant.
The layout is classy yet comfortable, with an open kitchen and private party room for 12. With its orange hues, intimate tables, Italian artwork and light beige stonework, the atmosphere is inviting.
The sampling of food Wednesday evening showed the thought behind the menu’s creation. Items such as Lamb Ragu gently nestled into a delicate puff pastry and wine braised mussels in the half shell topped with a refreshing cucumber salad were wonderful ways to begin any meal. The roasted tomato basil prosciutto and mozzarella flatbread paired with Italian Sausage Sliders on Italian bread (made on site), would be wonderful items to share in the restaurant’s accommodating bar area.
The larger dishes shined just as brightly. The Rosemary Garlic Crusted Beef Loin was flavorful and cooked to perfection, without allowing the rosemary to take over the dish, while the penne pasta, marinara and meatballs had authentic flavors one would come to expect from Italian comfort food.
Chef Audrey Vandenburgh utilizes premium local and seasonal products whenever possible. Her menu offers a wide selection of authentic Italian classics originating from Piedmont to Sicily. She also offers unique variations on Italian-inspired recipes like the Laughing Bird® Shrimp and Pancetta Flatbread.
The full bar features 40 bottles of fine Italian wine from every region of Italy, and also includes house-made beverages such as limoncello and Italian sodas in a variety of flavors.
Click here for more information on Wild Earth, and the many other dining options at Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Visit TCD’s Food & Dining page for more.
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We hit Wild Earth Cucina Italiana on opening night. Since it was the first full night in operation we expected chaos…but didn’t experience any!
Being an Italian food lover – and a vistor to Italy – I was a bit disappointed with the limited food choices – but there was enough for the three of us to get a good “taste” of the food. First things first – drinks. We wanted some wine..the by-the-glass wine selection was small. Three choices for white and I don’t remember the red choices – but they were few also. We ended up ordering a bottle – it was a struggle getting us to agree. $30 for a bottle of so-so savignon blanc.
While we were ordering the wine and appetizers we all acknowledged the intense noise level in the room. The acoustics are terrible. I don’t remember it being noisy when it was just Wild Earth. If the noise level from the people wasn’t disatracting enough, the restaurant had also hired wandering musicians to play corny Italian music. I wish I’d had a decibel meter with me. One simply cannot relax and dine in a room full of so much noise. We had to shout to have a conversation. We collectively agreed that no matter how good the food might be we wouldn’t return if the musicians are going to be a permanent fixture. We mentioned this to the manager – she said she would ask them to stay away from our table….she didn’t get it.
I had a lovely fresh roasted beet salad with toasted pine nuts and gorgonzola cheese. It was excellent. My husband had a Caesar salad which he declared was good but didn’t have “enough dressing” for him. Our friend had some delicious fried calamari which was flawless. Perfectly breaded and fried. Yum.
Entrees were well proportioned – not super-sized but not tapas sized either. I had a wonderful Frutti di mari with mussels, clams, calamari,scallops and shrimp in a light fish broth. Highly recommend it. My husband declared his lasagna “perfect” (he always orders lasagna…) and our friend had a pasta and salmon dish that she liked but didn’t love. No reason given.
Prices are reasonable. Service was wonderful. All in all – worth another try IF the musicians are gone.