Wagaya, Haymarket
$1140 later, we barely eat through half the menu
Wagaya has been around for a while now, but I’ve never really had a chance to eat there. After coming back from Japan, I’ve been raving and ranting about how good the Izakaya’s are there. So when I had the mandatory task of organising a venue for Linda’s birthday, a few people recommended booking a private room at Wagaya. Considering how much noise our group of friends make in public, I’m glad we did.
Wagaya is an izakaya style restaurant which usually has a massive hoard of people lining up to get a seat. One of the gimmicks is the ordering system, which is entirely operated via a touch screen. There is a hard copy of the menu with item numbers which makes ordering a breeze. I’m a big fan of this touch screen ordering because it means I don’t have to waste my time waving around for a waiter/waitress. It also saves me the hassle of pretending to stretch my arms when the waiter/waitress doesn’t see me signal them. The food comes out pretty quick as well.
We booked the biggest private room available, which sits 25 people comfortably and a few more if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of leg room. You also need to take your shoes off, as there is a bit of a ditch beneath the tables for your feet to rest. All in all, makes for quite a comfortable dining experience. There are two touch screens in the room and my advice for a big group is to use one screen to order food and the other to order drinks. It makes splitting the bill easier if not everyone drinks! You also get a huge LCD with a DVD player which has Divx/Xvid support so you can play your favourite legally downloaded videos. There is also a Bose speaker system which allows you to plug your Ipod/MP3 player into it, the sound quality was amazing. Another huge plus is that the room is sound proof. We did some stress tests to see if this held true, and it is indeed a sound proof room and a pretty damn good one I must say. It got a bit rowdy after a few too many drinks and people dancing in the room.
Now onto the food. Considering how much stuff we ordered, I’m going to save you readers the pain by not describing every dish as a ‘delicious morsel of food cooked to perfection’ amongst other ‘foodie’ clichés. Instead, check out the photos and names of the dishes so you can get a fair indication on what Wagaya offers. The menu is massive, I think we barely touched the surface of it.
Grilled Squid ($13.50)
These were chewy albeit a little too salty. You see that puddle of mayo in the corner ? That was suppose to last us for all that squid.
Agedashi Soft shell crab ($7.50)
This was interesting as I’ve never had soft shell crab in this style before. The most important thing was that the crab was still crunchy by the time it got to us.
Squid mentai pizza ($8.50)
Generous portions of squid were layered onto this pizza, I think I also tasted some sort of pickles as well. Japanese Pizza’s are interesting because they are never crispy and always soft. Wagaya is no exception.
Spider roll ($8.90)
Portions of sushi rice were topped with decently sized chunk of soft shell crab.
Grilled buttered squid ($8.50)
This tasted exactly how it’s described on the menu buttery goodness.
Wafu Pizza ($7.90)
This soft based pizza is topped with copious amounts of cheese and chicken pieces. It’s ridiculously hot, so don’t one shot it in your mouth once it arrives.
Chicken Karaage ($6.90)
You can’t go wrong with chicken karaage anywhere. As long as it’s crunchy and tender, I’m sold. However once again they failed on the mayo.
Chicken skewers ($5.50 for 3)
Rainbow roll ($9.80)
Unfortunately I didn’t get to try the chicken or rainbow roll, but the rainbow roll looks good doesn’t it ?
Assorted Sashimi Large ($38.50)
For $38 you get quite a large selection of sashimi. In saying that, I don’t think fresh sashimi is Wagaya’s strong point. With such a vast menu, I’d probably stick to their cooked food.
Scallop Sashimi ($6.90)
Contrary to what I said above about the freshness, the scallop defied the odds and passed the freshness test.
Octopus Chijimi ($7.90)
Similiar to korean pancakes, but alot more chewier. These were crispy enough on the outside and were actually quite addictive,
Crumbed cheese ($6.50)
These are not good if you have a heart condition. Bite sized pieces of cheese are deep fried, resulting in a larger than average cheese ball. The pieces are hot and the cheese drips out with each bite.
Tonkatsu Kushiage ($5.90)
Crunchy and full of meat, topped with legendary katsu bbq like sauce.
Assorted Yakitori ($11.90)
Ox tongue (or perhaps it was beef), prawn, salmon and chicken are lightly grilled. Marinades and seasoning are limited but that is common with most grilled Japanese food.
Tako Gomadare ($5.90)
Octopus with gomadare sauce (sesame, soy) and a mixed leaf salad. The sauce is slighly sour but this is offset by the octopus and salad.
The infamous sushi roulette …
Salmon Sushi Roulette ($8.50)
I ordered this for all 25 people to see who would be the unlucky people to get the wasabi filled piece. Everyone seemed fine, or perhaps they didn’t want to admit they got the unlucky piece. However I had a feeling my friend next to me was struggling when his eyes started to water and his eyes were a bit puffier than usual.
Agedashi Tofu ($5.50)
Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, also lightly topped with bonito flakes. It’s your stock standard agedashi tofu, but what more can you expect.
Beef Tataki ($7.50)
A little different to what I expected as I usually see the beef drowned in some sort of ponzu dressing. Instead, the sauce comes seperate for dippage. The beef was a bit dry, not as tender and juicy as others I’ve tried.
Salmon Sashimi ($6.90)
Not the freshest I’ve had but the price is good for the portion. It’s similiar to what you can find in an off the street sushi train joint.
Soft shell crab salad ($9.90)
Crispy soft shell crab sits on top of a bed of mixed leaf salad and deep fried bamboo lotus chips. The portion is extremely generous considering the price.
Wagaya was a fantastic location for a big group of 22 people. It allows you to sample the ridiculously extensive menu, but we also found huge menus quite common in Izakay’s in Tokyo. The damage for 22 people was $1140 inclusive of drinks which everyone thought was a bargain. The food here is not the ‘best’, but it’s superb value and I’d definately come here again to try other things on the menu. One tip , don’t come to Wagaya expecting the freshest food or food which would make your taste buds salivate voluntarily. The service is quick, the food is more yummy that it is ‘wow’, and the prices are fantastic. I hope Wagaya stays the way it is, it would make a nice replacement for the 1am kebab run.
Wagaya
Level 1, 78-86 Harbour St
Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9212 6068
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By Howard
We started eatshowandtell in 2008, it was meant to be just a journal of where we ate. The first thing I usually do when I'm looking for a restaurant is check out eatability and the restaurant website. But what is usually missing is pictures of the food, how do I know I'm getting what I expect? This blog hopefully plugs that gap.
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This article was written on 25 Mar 2009, and is filed under Japanese, Sydney, CBD.
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Looks like a great assortment of dishes. Love the concept of the roulette! The tech in the room looks great for a DIY party sort of arrangement.
One question though, with the last dish, is it not lotus root chips? That’s just how it looks to me from the pic.
$1140? At first I thought you missed a dot somewhere in that price tag, until I realised it was for 22 people! Sounds like better value than the time I had dinner with three other people and the bill came up to about that much.
Y’s last blog post..Last banana standing
I quite like Wagaya – mainly for the ordering system, which is a highlight for everybody hehe… I’ve never been in the private room though, usually I don’t go with more than eight people and the little booths are good enough
A question about the rooms – how do they serve the food? Do they knock, come in, ignore the rowdiness and set it down? Or is there a secret little rectangular hole through the wall?
Oh, and how much was the room? I think my friend paid $50 for a room that seats 12 people.
Mmmm hungry… I say this after I read all your posts
I like the idea of plugging in your iPod to the sound system and the do it yourself menu. It seems very hi-tech and Japanese, a bit like karaoke.
Arwen from Hoglet K’s last blog post..The Fudge Shop (I’d eat healthier if I was a dugong)
Me had the dinner with suze and helen couple weeks back but our bill is only over $100, nothing as impressive as yours! I actually have never seen a bill with 4 digits on it, you should have taken a pic of it and show us. I am impressed that there is no one in any of the photos especially when there was 22 people squeezed in one room!
billy@ATFT’s last blog post..Three Emperor Egg (三皇蛋)
happy birthday linda! what no cake? and LOL at your ‘perhaps it was beef’ re the ox tongue
chocolatesuze’s last blog post..melbourne part 2 [13]
As Billy mentions, we ate here recently, although I’m still working on my pics from our dinner. I was very curious about the private rooms – I loved the atrium in that area with the blocks of wood protruding from the wall. And well done on all the photos – not an easy feat with 22 ravenous partygoers I would imagine!
Helen’s last blog post..Ching Yip Coffee Lounge, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney
hehe my family shopfitted the place out
the owner also runs the ramen kan next door
good review howie and happy bday linda
Happy Bday Linda! Hahah you hooligans stress testing the rooms hee hee. Ooh there was space to dance? When I peered into the rooms, I don’t remember seeing that much room :S
Yeah the food here has gone down since it first opened but the touch screen/service is fast and efficient
FFichiban’s last blog post..Eveleigh Markets/Blackbird Cafe/Lindt Chocolate Cafe – Eveleigh/Darling Harbour, Sydney
howard how do you always remember the complicated names of the dishes?
do you take pictures of the menu then go home and match it all up with the pics hehe
Not bad, you guys gotta try Shira Nui, if your down in Melbourne.
I’ve always heard people raving on about this place.. It’s good to finally see a trusted review, with the ever appetising pictorials!
Place looks pretty snazzy, will have to put it on my ever-growing to-do list.
Happy barfday Linda! ^_^ (well, hope it wasn’t too much of a barfday haha)
goofus’s last blog post..Stranded, city-style.
Simon : It’s perfect for a DIY gathering as they don’t bother you unless you call them via the touch screen. The last dish is indeed lotus root chips, this just goes to show I would make a very poor food critic
Y : lol Y! I think the bill can be a bit overwhelming if you only dine with a few people. It’s definately better for big groups.
Bubz : That’s exactly how they do it, minus the knocking bit. They just ignore the rowdiness, collect the empty plates and go on their merry way. They even crack a smile or two when we started cheering everytime they came in, ‘The Price is Right’ style and all.
The room was $50 for the 25 people room. Quite a bargain!
Arwen : The iPod feature is great, infact all their gadgets work straight off the bat it is quite awesome.
Billy : It’s tough trying to take food photos with 22 people! Lucky we had a private room because I was in all sorts of awkard positions trying to make sure no one was in the photos lol.
Chocolatesuze : We had a cake but I forgot to take a photo of it! We were too tipsy by that time. It was an Adriano Zumbo Chocolate cake, 11 layers of chocolate!
Helen : Thanks, it was definately tough with 22 people! The private rooms are very well designed, nice ambience in there as well. It’s worth the $50 if you have more than 10 people.
David : Oh really ? He must be quite a wealthy man both his joints have no shortage of patrons.
FFichiban : The biggest room has plenty of room on the sides, we even managed to play charades at one stage.
Suzie : This time I had the receipt which was itemised with prices, very handy!
Akwoo : Shira Nui, I’ve noted it down. A quick search on google and it looks pretty good.
Goofus : Not sure if I would call it trusted! But it gives you an idea on what to expect in terms of food
What a great selection of food! Sounds like a fantastic place to go with a group of friends.
Anita’s last blog post..Chocolate Chip Friands with Cinnamon and Almonds
Chocolate suze- We had an adriano zumbo cake.. OMG Chocolate heaven!!.. but by the time the cake was served, I think we were all too smashed to remember to take a photo of it LOL
David Cc- Thanks David.. sooo does that mean you get a discount if you go there =D
Ffichiban- THanks for the birthday wish.. haha I think when everyone is pissed, somehow everything just seems to work. The squishy sitting area that was originally there somehow looks spacious through beer goggles.
Goofus- LOL Thank you!!! I promise myself that would be the last last last ever barfday.
Linda’s last blog post..Wagaya, Haymarket
Last last ever barfday Linda? Did you find the Fountain of Youth so you wont ever grow older? In which case, I’m waiting eagerly for the EST review of the Fountain! =D haha
goofus’s last blog post..Stranded, city-style.
Anita : Wagaya is definately the place to go with friends, especially if ‘authentic’ Japanese isn’t their priority.
oh mate, you made me salivate there, you took some awesome pictures (as usual) love the shallow DOF. I really do miss eating sushi in sydney, nothing in london compares to sydney in the fresh fish department.
sigh.
at least, i have your pictures to gawk at
kang’s last blog post..Previewing Whole foods in Hyde Park
seems like every food blogger is at one point trying this place as i’ve seen so many reviews of it. looks a bit like a japanese tapas place with all those yummy looking dishes.
s
Simon Food Favourites’s last blog post..Thanh Binh Vietnamese Restaurant (5 April 2009)
My my my. I’m looking around for recipes for soft shelled crab and stumble upon this. You have amazed me, I really don’t think I’ll cook it myself, I think my husband can just take me here instead! Thanks for sharing.
[...] rice. There is a strong hint of wasabi in this, it almost feels like I am playing sushi roulette at Wagaya though this time it is me who has the wasabi bomb. Scallops [...]
Looks great! Where can i find a menu?
hi! i was just wondering, how much did your booking for the 25 person room cost?
i’ve been there before, but have never bothered to find out
@Aby : I can’t remember exactly, it might of been a $100 deposit but get it back. They don’t charge for the room hire, but things might have changed so best to confirm with them over the phone.
Did you try unagi? I love Wagaya‘s eel.