Pan-Asian restaurant chain Wagamama has kicked off the new year with a bold culinary experiment, introducing two limited-edition vegan dishes that fuse its Asian roots with Italian and Mexican flavours. Available for a limited time only from January 2026, the new menu items represent a significant departure from the brand's traditional ramen and katsu curry offerings.
A First Look at the Fusion Plates
Senior Spare Time Reporter Mia O'Hare visited her local branch to sample both new creations. The first, named the tacomama, is a starter or side dish that presents a colourful mix of teriyaki mushrooms, sweet potato and kimchee mash, mixed leaves, vegan mayo, and pomegranate seeds atop two crispy open gyoza skins. O'Hare noted the generous portion size and the initial challenge of eating it, eventually resorting to a knife and fork.
The second dish, the udonara, is a main course that cleverly combines Japanese udon noodles with a classic Italian carbonara sauce. The thick noodles are coated in a rich, creamy vegan sauce and topped with crispy vegan bacon, king oyster mushrooms, and coriander.
The Taste Test: Can Vegan Impress a Meat-Eater?
As a self-professed non-vegan whose Mexican go-to is beef mince tacos, O'Hare approached the dishes with curiosity. The tacomama's teriyaki mushroom filling was a revelation, described as "juicy and packed with flavour" and remarkably similar to meat. The udonara also delivered a convincing experience, with the creamy sauce and vegan bacon indistinguishable from their dairy and meat counterparts, making the reporter forget she wasn't eating traditional spaghetti carbonara.
The Lingering Question and Veganuary Verdict
The successful launch of these fusion dishes during Veganuary 2026 poses an intriguing question: how did Wagamama achieve such authentic meat and dairy flavours using only plant-based ingredients? For O'Hare, the experience served as a powerful lesson not to dismiss vegan cuisine. Her final verdict acts as a strong endorsement from a meat-eater, suggesting that these innovative dishes are well worth trying before they disappear from the menu.
