Regular Wagamama goers may be partial to the Japanese go-to dish, Chicken Katsu Curry. And while it's somewhat of a fan-favourite, Wagamama is changing it up for the summer to produce a lighter, lower-calorie meal.
The brand-new Chicken Katsu salad features chicken in crispy panko breadcrumbs, edamame beans, pickled Asian slaw, pea shoots, Japanese pickles, red chillies and a side of curried salad dressing. And the best part about this tasty reinvention is that it's only 578 kcal, Wales Online reports.
Also on the menu is tempeh (soybeans) version of the katsu salad along with the return of permanent menus with Wagamama's extensive vegan options now on the same menu. Superfood tempeh is gut-friendly and shows that Wagamama likes to experiment with innovative plant-based proteins.
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With the mandatory introduction of calories on menus, Wagamama realises that calories aren’t helpful for everyone and so will offer a 'calorie-free' version of their menu available on request, appreciating that everyone’s relationship with food differs. Wagamama’s new menu campaign, called ‘True Nourishment’, is grounded in the brand’s long-withstanding food philosophy - leading a truly healthy life is not just about consuming quality ingredients, but also maintaining quality thoughts and mental wellness.
The menu introduces an innovative range of gut-healthy ingredients, which are peppered across the restaurant’s new dishes. Nutrient-dense Korean condiment: kimchee, is paired with mackerel in Wagamama's new fish dish Spicy Miso Mackerel. Served alongside sweet potato, tender stem broccoli, bok choi, shiitake mushrooms and kimchee fried rice.
Tempeh is also the key ingredient in the restaurant's new Korean-inspired Ssambap lettuce wraps which are dressed with kimchee sauce and pickled slaw. Sticky miso corn is yet another new plant-based hero added to this menu launch. Made up of corn-on-the-cob roundels coated in sticky spicy sauce and finished with sesame seeds and spring onion.
The noodle giant offers chicken as an alternative protein for the tempeh dishes, recognising the importance of offering choice for an audience with all ranges of dietary preferences. And as diners welcome the warmer months, they’ve also launched a new stand-out dessert: Chocolate and Cherry Kefir Ice Cream, which uses probiotic-containing ingredient kefir as the base ingredient.
Wagamama CEO Thomas Heier said: "At Wagamama, we believe enjoying food is central to enjoying life. Not only do we create food which leaves guests feeling nourished physically, but our benches and restaurants are designed to bring people together to connect, so they leave feeling nourished mentally too. A holistic approach to health is what we’ve always believed in, fuelling body and mind with quality food, quality relationships and quality thoughts.
"Katsu Curry has and will always have a special place in our guest's hearts. Which is why we love to remix and continue innovating this category. For summer we’ve taken the famous flavours of our most popular dish, and made a fresh new summer bowl. Still bringing forward the joys of katsu, but now in a lighter version."
Thomas added: "After two years of working with our charity partners Young Minds, disordered eating for young people is something we’re acutely aware of. As calories become a legal necessity for all restaurants, we’ve decided to offer a non-calorie menu for guests suffering with a challenging relationship with food."
As part of Wagamama's ‘True Nourishment’ campaign, they have partnered with anti-diet entrepreneur Lucy Mountain, to help raise awareness of their non-calorie menu.
Moutain said: "As calorie labelling becomes mandatory for all high-street menus, the role of education on how nourishment goes beyond simply calorie counting, is more vital than ever. Which is why I’m so passionate and proud to be partnering with Wagamama on this campaign to bring their balanced and holistic ethos to life.
"Around 1.25 million people suffer with an eating disorder. Many sufferers, therefore, are likely to be met with the challenge of feeling safe while dining out at restaurants like Wagamama. Which is why it’s brilliant to see that Wagamama are offering guests a calorie-free menu, to help alleviate the trauma of what can already be an extremely difficult event for sufferers. I’d encourage other restaurants to do the same."
Wagamama’s new menu launched on March 30 and will be available in-restaurant, and through Click + Collect / Deliveroo.
