Wagaya Japanese Restaurant

I have so many incomplete posts in my account!! Absolutely backlogged with a bunch of food posts!

Amongst my backlog was this entry on one of the most popular casual Japanese eatery in Sydney – Wagaya Japanese Restaurant. With it’s reasonable prices, chic interior and funky technology, it’s proving to be a very popular destination for group gatherings!

As a result, it’s REALLY tough to get seats for dinner. Reservations definitely recommended. The place is closed for lunch, which only serves to make the line for dinner even longer. Walk in on an average night and the wait is at least 30-35minutes. Once again, the trick is to show up early for dinner.

One of the highlights of the restaurants are these touchscreen ordering systems. It’s quite funny how it’s hyped up in Sydney, because Sakae Sushi back in Singapore has had them for YEARS! Essentially you browse through the electronic menu, place your orders and your food and drinks get delivered to your table very shortly!

Agedeshi soft shell crab @ $7.50

We ordered a few appetizers to share. There were 3 pieces of agedashi tofu which works out perfectly for Mikey, Thad and I. The tofu was okay – I usually prefer the sauce to be a tad sweeter, as this was bordering on sourness. What really elevated the dish was the soft-shell crab – ooh!! It was hot and crunchy, none of the sogginess you encounter at many restaurants. AND, I discovered that the husband doesn’t like soft-shell crab! Imagine the surprise! Ah well, you continue to learn something new, even after 7 years. More soft-shell crabs for me!

Ox Tongue skewers @ $5.50

Here’s something that he likes! He loves ox-tongue curry rice, so no surprise here. These were really tender and chewy. I know a lot of people out there cringe at the thought of eating ox tongue, but honestly, it’s just another part of the animal. I’m of the view that if you’re going to slaughter an animal for food, you should make the most of whichever part can be eaten. Hm, the only other animal’s tongue I’ve had is the duck – and yes, the ox has a LOT more meat. Speaking of which, I wonder how many pieces of skewers you can get from one cow’s tongue?

Chicken Nanban & Tartar Sauce @ $8.50

Oh this was so yummy! And NO, it’s not because of the tartar sauce. The meat was really succulent and well-marinated. I will happily lap it up without the tartar sauce!

Dragon Roll @ $9.50

We weren’t really sure what the Dragon Roll was but it sounded cool enough. Essentially, it’s Unagi Roll which really can’t go wrong. What I did love was the crispy fried lotus-root chip topping the sushi – really wonderful to nibble on!

Salmon Avocado @ $3.50 each

Haha these were so ridiculously huge! It was stuffed with SO much rice. They also gave huge slabs of avocado and salmon, which gave it the wonderfully creamy texture.

Ox Tongue, Chicken Gizzards @ $4.50, Salmon Avocado Handroll

The middle dish is the Chicken Gizzards. Unfortunately, these were overcooked so they were really “bouncy” and crunchy – and not in a good way.

Scallop & Garlic Fried Rice @ $9.90

The Scallop & Garlic Fried Rice comes sizzling hot in a stone bowl. It might look like a plain and simple dish, but it’s really flavourful and makes a wonderful base to eat your other dishes with (yes, we are so Chinese – we need to have rice with everything!). Actually, I take that back. I think it’s actually yummy to eat it on its own!

Mentaiko Pasta @ $9.50 – Popular!

Voila! My must-have dish – Mentaiko Pasta!! Slightly creamier than I would have liked (it bordered on a Carbonara), it’s still really delish with generous sprinkling of mentaiko, squid and mushrooms. No surprise that it was tagged “Popular!” on the menu.

Black Sesame Ice-Cream @ $4.50

What better way to round up a meal with servings of ice-cream! They only have three flavours – vanilla, green tea and black sesame, which is a shame because their ice-cream is really smooth and creamy! And served in a big heap too!

Maccha Green Tea Ice-Cream @ $4.50

We all agreed the Maccha was better than the Black Sesame. The Black Sesame tasted a little artificial and was lacking the ‘charred’ taste that comes with a lot of Black Sesame dessert. I know there are people who actually dislike the ‘charred’ taste, but I think that’s the essence of Black Sesame-flavoured desserts! The Maccha on the hand had just the right taste of bitterness, and went down very well after a heavy meal. And the chocolate wafer was crispy to boot! Thumbs-up!

Our bill for 3 people came up to $89.20 – for just $30 per person, we had quite a lot to eat! Service was efficient and we were not hurried at all despite the long waiting line, the restaurant’s decor was modern and we love the booth-style seating areas for slightly more privacy and it’s at a convenient location.

Wagaya Japanese Restaurant
Address:
Level 1, 78-86 Harbour St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9212 6068