Our Flock loves Wagamama anyway, so we were thrilled to receive an invitation to try their newly launched Brunch Menu…especially since it’s only available at a limited number of sites. With the East Midlands Designer Outlet being just a couple of miles from our doorstep, we visit quite regularly and have eaten at this particular ‘Waga’ before, so we knew the service would be good.
As soon as we walked through the door, a team member greeted us and took us to one of the booth tables that had the brunch menu/placemat set out. The brunch offering is served up until 11.30am and, with us rocking up at 11am, there were only a few tables left occupied as most folks would’ve eaten before (or be waiting until lunchtime).
To start with, His Nibs ordered a large OJ (£6.50), I had a large ‘Positive’ Juice (£6.50; Pineapple, Lime, Spinach, Cucumber and Apple), and Fledge had a Latte (£3.80). When our drinks arrived, we began sipping and studying the menu more closely; there’s a surprisingly large range of dishes to choose from, and a multitude of dining options.
If you want a picky/grazing approach to your brunch then the small plates cater to you or, if you’re hungrier, go for the big bowls. Ranging from Overnight Oat Bowls, Smashed Croissants and Bao Buns, through to Loaded Toasts, Traditional Breakfasts and even beloved Waga classics Yaki Soba and Katsu Curry, there is literally everything your heart could desire…and even some things you didn’t know you needed!
From the ‘classic small plates’ section we chose Edamame Corn Fritters (£6.50) and a couple of portions of Bang Bang Hash Browns (£6) to complement our ‘mains’ of Eggs Seoul Style (His Nibs, £8.50), Avocado on Toast with Two Poached Eggs (Fledge, £9) and Chicken, Bacon and Prawn Omuretsu/Omelette (me, £11). Everything at Wagamama is cooked fresh-to-order, so do expect a little wait for your food – we never mind waiting for fresh food to be served.
It wasn’t long before the Bang Bang Hash Browns and Edamame Corn Fritters were winging their way to us, followed a couple of minutes later by the loaded Toasts and my Omuretsu. The familiar golden tone of crispy Hash Browns was peeping out from under the russet red glaze of Waga’s trademark ‘Fire Cracker’ sauce and garnish of Red and Spring Onion slices and chopped, fresh Red Chillies. Colourful, yes, tasty, yes; super-spicy, hell yeah!! The Man Bird and Fledge were in their spice-loving element as they chomped away at the mini bites, puffing and panting with glee as the fire hit their palate.
The Edamame and Sweetcorn Fritters might have been subtler in spice, but they were every bit as tasty as the Hash Browns. Their thin, crispy outers were a rich shade of bronze, which allowed the verdant Edamame beans and sunny corn kernels to really pop, visually. Accompanying the fritters was a bowl of Sriracha Ketchup, and the combination of spiciness and sweetness was perfect.
With the loaded toasts, you get a choice of Malted or White Bloomer bread and my flock chose one of each option. Like much of her generation, Fledge is obsessed with Avo Toast – not that I disagree with her, it is a scrummy option, whatever time of day you have it. Here at Wagamama, she’d gone for Poached Eggs with it, although the Teriyaki Mixed Mushrooms was a serious consideration as well. Thick slices of bread were toasted to give them that gentle crunch and resistance to the bite, partnered with creamy smashed Avocado that was nicely seasoned. The poached eggs had gorgeously, rich, runny yolks that oozed out when cut into and, I am very pleased to say, there was no trace of ‘snottiness’ to the whites.
His Nibs’ malted bloomer doorstop was also toasted to the same beautiful degree as Fledge’s had been, but he’d gone for fried eggs that are pimped-up with a Korean-inspired sweet-and-umami sauce. The result of this fusion is a jolly tasty morsel that packs a mid-range oomph; great if you want to dip your toes into spice but not go the whole, tongue-tingling 9 yards. Garnished with sliced Spring Onions, Red Chilli and Red Pepper powder, this was an attractive dish, as well as a yummy one.
All I have to say about my Omelette is this: underestimate it at your peril! Wagamama’s Chefs don’t mean anyone going hungry with this egg-white morsel; they stuff it with a mix of finely shredded Savoy Cabbage, Leeks and Shiitake mushrooms, and then add in Chicken, Bacon and King Prawns for good measure. I loved the combination of soft and crunchy elements in this filling dish and it was a ‘spice-free’ choice – I’m not as brave as the rest of my family when it comes to brunch choices. However, the lack of spice certainly didn’t mean that this was any less tasty than the other options on the menu. I think my empty plate was testament to its deliciousness!
To finish up our brunch experience, The Man and I had pots of fresh Mint Tea and the cleansing flavour was the perfect conclusion. Throughout our visit, check-backs had been done and we were asked if we needed any extra sauces etc. Having never considered Wagamama as a brunch venue, I would definitely go back; there are still plenty of dishes that I’d like to try. Our total bill came to £68.80.
Hot Wings given to Wagamama’s East Midlands Designer Outlet venue, you’ve [Avocado] smashed it out of the park. Ring 01773 851096 or visit the web site to place online orders and view the menus. Opening hours for this particular venue are Mon-Sat 8.30am-9pm and Sunday 8.30am-6pm – Bank Holidays may vary.
