In the midst of the Veganuary challenge (which I’ve taken on!) I was lucky to get invited along to Wagamama to celebrate ‘the next wave’ of plant-based diets. It was very exciting to hear about their new vegan menu and range, and I was over the moon with the opportunity to sample some of their innovative dishes.

I had been to Wagamama a few times years ago, and have always seen it a chain that offers a vibrant, casual dining experience, where you can get your hands on some fantastic Asian / Japanese inspired dishes.

This month, the focus is on vegan trends and plat-based foods – keep reading to find out some of the amazing food that Wagamama has to offer on this trend!

 

The starters

For a cold and rainy Monday evening, it was a lovely experience to step into the fresh-looking restaurant of Wagamama in Glasgow City Centre and find it very much alive, buzzing with the energy of Glasgow diners. The staff were incredibly friendly and quick to serve us with our choice of drinks (bottles of Asahi), followed by the most amazing starters.

First up, a bowl of bang bang cauliflower, crispy and tasty, spicy to the perfect point! and a portion of yasai gyoza, steamed and grilled for that lightly crisp, served with a dipping sauce.

Another side we shared as part of the starters: vegetable tempura with crispy tenderstem broccoli, red pepper, sweet potato and asparagus, topped with wakame and served with a sweet and sour sauce. The batter on the veggies was perfectly crispy, and it was generous but not greasy. The tempura was quite a large portion, yet it was so delicious we didn’t have any problem devouring it and enjoying it to the last bite!

Finally, one more starter to share before moving onto the mains: mixed mushroom and panko aubergine hirata steamed buns. I love bao buns, and these two beauties were the ideal small size for an appetiser, they were fluffy and the fillings were delectable.

The main event

There had been much talk around the Vegan Suika Tuna dish, so I just had to try it!

It’s made from dehydrated watermelon, brined, seared, and dressed with a miso sesame sauce. I was very impressed with the look of it, so much like tuna sashimi! Naturally, the flavour is unlike tuna – I found it to be milder and not at all fishy, but still savoury and rich because of the dressing. This dish is to me a perfect epitome of vegan trends, it’s amazing!

The accompaniments on the plate, including crispy shallots, sticky rice and a mix of vegetables, made the dish well balanced, full of texture and creative flavours. I particularly enjoyed the taste of the guacamole made with edamame, avocado and tofu.

Dessert

After quite a feast, we were kindly served also with desserts to end on a sweet note! We had a taste of the mango and matcha layer cake, the chocolate and orange ice cream, and strawberry and yuzu ice cream.

They were all delightful. My personal favourite here was the mango + matcha cake, it was light and smooth, absolutely lovely. The chocolate and orange ice cream was also smooth and wonderfully tasty, I was surprised to see how vegan ice cream can be just as good as normal dairy based ice cream (if not better!)

 

The new vegan menu at Wagamama is creative and unique, comprehensive with various options for sides / starters, mains and desserts.

I can very easily see vegetarians, vegans and also meat-eaters and flexitarians enjoying this menu and embracing the plant-based innovations Wagamama has come up with!