WILD RICE IS A CONTEMPORARY RESTAURANT SERVING MODERN CHINESE CUISINE. A STAPLE IN VANCOUVER’S HISTORIC CHINATOWN FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS, THE OWNERS DECIDED TO OPEN A SECOND LOCATION IN A 3500 SQUARE FOOT SPACE IN THE BLOSSOMING RIVER MARKET AT NEW WESTMINSTER QUAY. THE PHILOSOPHY OF WILD RICE IS TO CELEBRATE AND EXPOSE THE INNER WORKINGS OF A RESTAURANT KITCHEN THAT ARE NORMALLY HIDDEN FROM DINERS. BY REVEALING THE EVENTS OF THE KITCHEN TO BOTH THE MARKET PATRONS THROUGH AN EXPANSIVE WINDOW AND BY FULLY OPENING ITSELF TO THE THE RESTAURANT LOUNGE, THE DINER IS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXTRAORDINARY FRESH, LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD CULTURE OF WILD RICE. THIS EXPRESSION GREW NATURALLY FROM THE NOTION OF SHARING THAT IS INHERENT IN THE SOCIAL CULTURE OF WILD RICE. CUSTOMERS SHARE IN COMMUNAL PLATES, EXCHANGE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE CHEF AT THE COMMUNAL CHEF’S TABLE AND BAR, ARE ENCOURAGED TO ADD HERBS TO THIER OWN DISHES FROM THE LIVING WALL AND VIEW THE INGREDIENTS OF THE KITCHEN ON THE FUNCTIONING PANTRY WALL. ONE SIDE DARK AND ONE SIDE BRIGHT, THE LOUNGE AND DINING AREA PLAY OFF EACH OTHER IN A JUXTAPOSITION THAT ALLOWS THE CUSTOMER THE CHOICE OF A CASUAL DINING EXPERIENCE OR A MORE ELEGANT GREEN HOUSE GARDEN EXPERIENCE UNDER THE GLASS CEILING ADJACENT TO THE FRASER RIVER WATERFRONT. PLAYFUL REFERENCES TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE MOTIFS ABOUND: CHINESE NEWSPAPER CREATES THE WALLPAPER IN THE WASHROOM CORRIDOR; WOKS ARE USED AS WALL ART AND A LIGHT INSTALLATION ABOVE THE LOUNGE EVOKES TRADITIONAL CHINESE LANTERNS ALOFT IN THE SKY.