The last time I saw Wicked Bao’s owner Nathalie Wu she was wearing her birthday tiara radiating joy from her booth at the Amelia Island Cookout at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Her Chinese food containers stood out from the other colors under the tent. Inside was a chef’s special that is still available as a chef’s special today: Chilled Peanut Noodles, tossed with house-made peanut sauce, garnished with Asian slaw and fried shallots.
Those shallots—I could eat a roomful! You probably know how it feels when a flavor grabs your face and will not let go. My girls also like sensation-seeking among unusual Wicked Bao tastes when they are in town. When I asked my physiotherapist David what his favorite dish at Wicked Bao is, he said, “Everything! I don’t know names or dishes, I just love it all.”
“This is the only place where I clean my entire plate,” says photographer Lilly Sheetz when she meets me for an early supper. I tried eating Lilly’s way with small plates, and I liked it! Sauces with the Sichuan Dumpling and Chicken Satay were tangy.
Bao would have fit nicely into this mix. The flavors of the sauce with the Roti Canai lit my spicy fires. I could drink it! Because my go-to favorite is Ahi Tuna Poke, this panko-breaded tuna roll was a special variation. Lilly and I clinked our glasses of Pumpkin Apple Five-Spice Saki-Sangria and made a pact to return for the December special of Cranberry-Almond Saki-Sangria.
How does Nathalie have so much energy and zest for life? Twice a year, at Labor Day and in early January, she closes the restaurant and goes away with her family. Recently, they went to Berlin, and next she goes to Thailand to reunite with college friends. Nathalie is a beloved citizen of Fernandina Beach, the island, and the region. Whatever food-and-beverage activities are happening, she will likely participate, host, or frequent. Her concept of fast-casual, Asian street food has carved a significant niche in the downtown eating scene.
Nathalie and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island have a bittersweet bond. Her late husband, Thomas Tolxdorf, was made Executive Chef in 2001. After the Berlin Wall came down, Thomas had gone directly to Switzerland to work at Gasthof Hirschen in Interlaken, where he met Nathalie, a Les Roches hotel management intern.
After Switzerland, the couple worked in Nathalie’s hometown of Taipei for a few years, then in Singapore, where they began their life with The Ritz-Carlton. When babies came along, Nathalie left the industry to dedicate herself to the children. The move to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island was paradisical, until Thomas died in a car accident in 2014. She had to scurry to make a life for the boys and her
without Thomas, and in December 2017, she opened
Wicked Bao. Wicked Bao’s seventh Anniversary Dinner is December 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets include a five-course dinner with paired wines and music. Call now for one of the 50 remaining tickets.
Nathalie’s trademark smile is now available on merchandise! Cartoon Nathalie was drawn by her cousin, Debby Wu, and can be yours. You can also see the real one when she greets you at the door of Wicked Bao, located at 232 North 2nd Street.