By contributor Claire Zakiewicz – a healthy eating enthusiast and keen marathon runner.
What I like about Wagamama is they make freshly made, healthy and tasty food at inexpensive prices and they offer free wifi. A great little stop for a person on the go.
Wagamama has a new fresh and spicy summer menu, which came out on 21st May and I got an invite to sample the new dishes.
Initially, when I looked at the list of new summer dishes, I was disappointed how few vegetarian and vegan specials there were. Nevertheless, the dishes that were meat free were absolutely delicious and I was assured that it’s possible to ask for the meat to be left out of the other ones.
Obviously that wasn’t quite possible with the first starter – the beef lettuce wrap. Unless eating lettuce on its own is your thing. But there were happy noises coming from the mouths of the other tasters so I believe, as far as beef dishes go, it is a good one.
Summer Rolls
I love Summer Rolls and was delighted to see them on the new menu – but no vegetarian option! The chef told me they had it last year but it didn’t sell well. Well I must chirp in here that the other diners who tasted my specially made veggie roll with carrot, coriander and mooli wrapped in rice paper said it was better than the meat ones. Apparently you can ask for it without meat and I would recommend doing so.
There are two salads on the summer menu, the Salmon/Chicken Miso Salad and the Bean and Glass Noodle Salad. As a vegetarian I wasn’t able to try the miso salad but I was assured the bean salad was best!
There are adzuki and edamame beans, which are full of protein with red pepper, butternut squash and tomatoes on noodles and rocket with a delicious wasabi dressing. It’s colourful, tasty and healthy!
Chicken Tom Yum Soup
The new Tom Yum Hot and Sour Soup also only has meat or fish variations to choose from. I saw that there were some shitaki mushrooms in there which are very healthy and delicious, so I was somewhat jealous! I’m a big soup fan and would have loved a vegetarian version.
Mango Apple and Orange Juice
The summer juices are fantastic. My favourite is the tangy and bright yellow mango, apple and orange but others on the table preferred the fresh and pink strawberry, apple, orange and mint juice.
All in all I would definitely be ordering the juices and bean salad over the summer and possibly the Summer Rolls without meat, but of course I do hope that there will be more meat free options next year.
I’d just like to add a little something about the deserts at Wagamama. Although there’s nothing new for summer, if you haven’t tried the coconut ice-cream please go ahead. It’s divine!
Check out the Wagamama website for more information.
Many thanks to Wagamama for the invite.
