#IntuVIB Wagamama Event | Wagamama’s new menu!

Do you want a sneak peak of the new Wagamama menu launching this Wednesday? Sure you do!

Intu Lakeside invited myself and James along to Intu Lakeside’s Wagamama to try out dishes for their brand new menu which is launching nationwide on Wednesday 10th May.

Before we found out the new dishes on the menu, we ordered a variety of starters to try. Between 7 of us, we ordered 9 starters to try – who loves Wagamama? We sure do!

Ebi Katsu

This is one of my favourite starters from Wagamama! Ebi Katsu is crispy fried prawns in panko breadcrumbs, served with a spicy chilli and garlic sauce and a lime on the side to garnish the prawns. Deliciously tender prawns and a crunchy coating – one of my favourites!

Edamame with salt

I’d not tried this before and after trying it, I probably won’t be ordering it again in a hurry. This generous portion of steamed edamame beans is sprinkled with salt and when they’re hot, they’re quite nice to nibble on. As they got cold quite quickly, they were a little tough to chew and digest. So sadly, not one of my favourites!

Duck Gyoza

Gyozas are always my go-to starters to order, so we ordered five fried duck dumplings, which comes with a dipping sauce. The duck was tender and melt in the mouth with a sweet and sticky glaze, and the dumpling was deliciously crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside – always a winner!

Lollipop Prawn Kushiyaki

Another one of my go-to starters, (can you tell I’ve been to Wagamama a lot before?) is the lollipop prawn kushiyaki, which is skewers of grilled prawns that have been marinated in lemongrass, lime and chilli, and served with a caramelised lime on the side. The prawns are always juicy and have a sweet chilli kick – just a shame there wasn’t more of them!

Prawn Gyoza

The second gyozas we ordered were the prawn ones. Five fried prawn dumplings served with a sweet dipping sauce. Like the duck gyozas, the prawns were super tender and the crunchy dumpling coating was a winner dipped into the sweet, sticky sauce!

Pork Belly + Panko Apple Hirata Steamed Buns

I’ve tried the steamed buns from Giraffe, but I’ve never tried them from Wagamama before, so we decided to order a portion of the pork belly & panko apple ones. The verdict? BLOODY DELICIOUS. The starter comes as two fluffy Asian buns stuffed with pork belly and panko apple, served with Japanese mayonnaise and coriander. I am addicted to these fluffy Asian buns, I really want to pick some up myself and see what meat and dressings I can pack them with.

Chilli Squid

I’ve not tried squid before but I decided to give it a whirl – and I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was! The crispy, fried squid comes dusted with shichimi and served with a chill coriander dipping sauce. The squid was crunchy on the inside but super soft inside – I’ve definitely been converted!

Pork Ribs

Surprise surprise, a dish I’ve not yet had at Wagamama before! Shocking, I know. These delicious pork ribs are served with a sweet and sticky Korean barbecue sauce and sprinkled with mixed sesame seeds. The meat fell off the bone and the mixed sesame seeds added a nice crunch.

Tori Kara Age

Another started I’ve not tried before, but I will 100% be ordering on my next visit, is the tori kara age. The dish is seasoned crispy chicken bites, dressed in and served with a spiced sesame and soy sauce and garnished with lime. This chicken was ah-ma-zing. The coating was crispy and a little spicy, and the chicken tender and soft. The spiced sesame dip completed the dish nicely.

 

 

After trying Wagamama’s starters, we were briefed on the new menu by Asia, a super lovely, friendly and passionate team member who has worked in a variety of Wagamama’s, including the Covent Garden branch!

 

Wagamama’s new menu

The new menu, launching on Wednesday 10th May, consists of curries, salads and the most delicious sticky pork belly dish. So here’s your exclusive sneak peak on the brand new menu launching in May!

 

Beef Tataki

Sushi beef tataki is a very popular sushi dish, so Wagamama have incorporated it into their brand new menu! I was pleasantly surprised with this dish as I’ve never had *practically* raw beef before. The thinly sliced raw beef is flash-sealed on a hot pan with a Japanese mayo droplet on each piece. A citrus ponzu sauce, made from lime juice, orange juice and fresh chillies is served on the side with a beetroot and coriander side salad.

Samla Chicken Curry

Samla chicken curry is one of the new curries to feature on the menu. Inspired by Cambodian and Thai curries, the dish is infused with galangal, lemon grass and curry powder to give it a really fresh and spicy kick. The sauce is made from onions, shallots, desiccated coconut, coconut milk and tamarind, and is a curry packed with fresh vegetables, shredded chicken and a bowl of sticky white rice.

I’m not a curry person but I really enjoyed this flavoursome curry, although it does pack quite a punch! I’m a wimp with spice though so to others, it might not be spicy at all.

Samla Yasai Curry

The Samle Yasai curry is made from the exact same sauce as the Samla chicken curry, but is a vegetarian version with onions and mushrooms. It’s a great meat substitution and you’re not missing out on flavour at all, the fresh chillies, spring onions and coriander work really well with the smooth, spicy curry.

Pad Thai Salad

The pad thai salad is a simple, fresh salad dish made with salad leaves, juicy plump king prawns, shredded beetroot, crunchy fried onions and a tamarind dressing drizzled on top. For me, the salad is a bit take it or leave it. I love a good salad, but it’s never something I’d order if I was going out for lunch or dinner. The prawns were super plump and delicious however, and the crunchy onions on top were a nice addition.

Grilled Bream Donburi

Donburi is traditionally a bowl of meat with rice, usually beef or chicken. But this time, Wagamama have broken the rule books to create a fish based donburi dish, packed with chilli, coriander and kimchi. Sea Bream is the fish of choice for this dish, and it was cooked to perfection. The fish was flaky and melted in the mouth, and the skin was super crunchy. I would definitely consider ordering this, as opposed to my go-to Katsu curry!

Sticky Pork Belly

I’m saving the best one tip’ last with this one. Promise.

The sticky pork belly was my favourite dish of the new menu, and here’s why.

The pork belly is a boneless cut of fatty meat, which is sous vide to retain all it’s flavour and tenderness. The mouth-watering sticky marinade is made using amai sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, citrus ponzu and orange juice, which is drizzled over the pork belly to give it a sweet, sticky glaze. The pork belly sits on a bed of aubergine, which has been dipped in miso paste and grilled. Served with a side of sticky white rice, it’s the perfect belly-warming dish that will leave you satisfied.

 

What’s your favourite Wagamama dish? What new Wagamama dish would you like to try?