Why not Wagamama: Seafood Success
Wagamama. Why aren't people eating here more often? It feels overlooked,
forgotten about and neglected by foodies. Is it because it's been in Brighton a
long time and new independent restaurants have overshadowed it? Is it because
its a national chain which on the outside, due to it's warehouse-style dining
hall, seems to offer generic, mass produced food? I personally used to think it
was just all very samey but after the last two visits has more to offer
than what you might think.
My brother loves it and reintroduced me to it earlier this year when the
summer menu was out. Being a fish lover it offered plenty of options and the
beloved tuna steak made an appearance in the form of a warm salad, catching the
eye immediately. When salmon or tuna is on a menu, nothing else gets a look in.
It came rare, which is perfect, come on, no one likes a dry tuna steak!
They added a load of good shit like stir fried veg and a buff wasabi
dressing and it came with the humble price tag of around a tenner, which, for a
fat tuna steak like that, is pretty good.
On the latest visit the coconut seafood broth got the nod of approval
(second time I've had it because its so good) which is ramen with a curry
feel and seafood heaven with salmon, scallops, squid prawns and green lip
mussels (although they were so big they got a little bit freaky to look at if
you looked at them for too long - don't be rude) served on rice noodles in a
light broth. A right lip smacking slurper.
 |
Coconut Seafood Broth
|
We also ordered Kimchi - a Korean side dish consisting of fermented cabbage. Hot and sour, it's a popular feature of modern on-trend restaurants although it's very traditional and has been around for years in Korea. The health benefits are little known but literature on the very interesting subject of probiotics is on the rise and according to The Huffington Post:
"Kimchi and other fermented vegetables pack probiotics, which help populate and rebalance your gut flora. Studies show probiotics benefit everything from allergies to preventing dental caries to weight loss. One in The Journal of Nutrition, for instance, showed probiotics could protect against colon cancer. And a study in the journal Clinical Microbiology Reviews showed probiotics could reduce diarrhea and other intestinal problems."
Sounds good right? Home-made kimchi is on the cards, watch this space. This above heath information also applies to other food such as gerkins, saukraut, kefir, pickled onions, tabasco, soy sauce and yoghurt!
 |
Kimchi and Vegetable Dumplings
|
However, the main excitement was caused by a special Japanese white ale
- Hitochino Nest - everything about it was perfect: the packaging was cute, the
taste was amazing, it was over 5% - It would be a dream if it was readily
available in shops. Hopefully it can take a leaf out of Brooklyn Brewery's book
and get itself onto the shelves of Tesco. Will definately be looking in
oriental supermarkets to get some and it's made me VERY excited that Japan has
drinks like this to offer. The visit there is going to be even tastier than
ever imagined!
So thanks Wagamama you were reasonably priced, you didn't sit us next to anyone too offensive, the food you provided was low carb, delightfully tasty and packed with lean protein, and you got us pissed on an exciting new drink #maybenotsolowcarb
0 comments