wagamama’s much-awaited summer menu has landed in restaurants nationwide, adding fresh, soulful bowls and expertly-crafted cocktails into the mix for innovative bursts of delicious Japanese flavours – all under the new ‘shinrin yoku’ canopy-style forest installations in restaurants.
Highlights from the new menu include the saku saku soba, a nod to the satisfying sound made when biting into something crispy, in this case the crispy shredded duck or pulled shiitake mushrooms expertly tossed on the teppan to achieve the perfect char. A tataki dish of thinly sliced cuts of beef fillet, salmon, or smoky tofu has also been introduced, served with a drizzle of zesty yuzu sauce.
Alongside these is the crispy otsumami, a set of fried rice squares served alongside beef, salmon, or pulled shiitake, soaked in a soy and yuzu dressing, and topped with smashed avocado, edamame, and sriracha mayonnaise. Again infusing tradition into the new menu, the term ‘otsumami’ refers to the snackable small plates shared over a drink or two in the izakayas of Japan, where such a dish would make for the perfect accompaniment. For something greener, the Thai Beef Salad breathes some extra freshness into the menu, with tender strips of marinated premium cut steak added to a base of greens.
Never one to skip the sweetness, the new menu sees a deliciously crispy Momo Meringue cake, and what is anticipated to be a fan-favourite Baked Yuzu Cheesecake that will satisfy even the greatest sweet tooth, while diners can wash their meals down with an Iced Jenki Matcha and fruity Strawberry Lattes.
The drinks component of the new menu includes a Pad Thai Sour, inspired by the flavour profile of the fan-favourite Pad Thai. It playfully combined vodka, rum, and passion fruit, adding in line, lemongrass, and tamarind, before creatively being topped off with a fried rice noodle. Jumping onto the lychee trend, the Lychee Blush Sangria includes a yuzu and lychee puree along with a pink pinot blush. The Green Samuri captures a refreshing melon flavour, incorporating Midori, yuzu, and Asahi, while the Breakfast in Tokyo uses Prosecco, papaya gin, blood orange, and yuzu sherbet to juxtapose sweet and zesty flavours in this unique cocktail available at Heathrow Airport only.
In honour of the summer menu launch, wagamama has introduced shinrin yoku experiences are select restaurants, drawing inspiration from the Japanese tradition of ‘forst bathing’. Often considered as nature’s antidote to the stress of modern life, guests can practice mindfulness by immersing themselves in their surroundings while dining beneath the forest-style canopies.
Kay Bartlett, Chief Marketing Officer at wagamama comments:
“We know that our guest are now, more than ever, looking to escape from life’s realities through soulful bowls and inspiring experiences. Our new summer menu includes an array of innovative new dishes and drinks,that bring our guests on a sensory and escapist journey where they can take a moment to pause and truly ‘savour the summer’. All inspired by our philosophy of kaizen, meaning ‘good change’, which we have been practicing since we first opened our doors in 1992.”
You can explore the full menu, and find your local wagamama restaurant, right here.
