Wagamama, an Asian-inspired restaurant chain in the UK, has partnered with Australian mushroom-based meat alternative brand Fable Food Co to launch four meat-free dishes.
The new menu options are all made with Fable’s Pulled Shiitake, though only two are vegan-friendly:
- Pulled Shiitake Koyo Bowl — A bowl featuring mixed leaves, Fable pulled shiitake, beetroot, carrot, cucumber, radish, and edamame beans. The bowl is served with a creamy tofu and mustard dressing, and topped with crushed sunflower seeds and red chilli and miso sauce.
- Pulled Shiitake Crispy Otsumami — Six squares of crispy fried rice in a soy and yuzu dressing. The squares are topped with pulled shiitake, smashed avocado, edamame, and sriracha mayo, and are garnished with coriander cress.
The two remaining dishes — Crispy Pulled Shiitake Saku Saku Soba and Edamame, Truffle, and Pulled Shiitake Gyoza — are suitable for vegetarians but not vegans.
Mushroom meat
Fable Food Co produces meat alternatives made with shiitake mushrooms, which provide a naturally meat-like texture and umami flavour. The company raised US$8.5 million in Series A funding last year to accelerate R&D and continue its international expansion.
Earlier in 2024, Fable told vegconomist that it was exploring the use of different species of mushroom, as well as different ways of cooking mushrooms to improve their flavour, texture, and the bioavailability of their nutrients. Fable products are now available at thousands of restaurants and retail locations worldwide, with the US, the UK, and Singapore as the company’s key strategic international markets.
“Wonderful accomplishment”
The Wagamama launch comes as the chain continues to expand its meat-free menu options, after initially making its menu 50% plant-based in 2021. Wagamama introduced a range of Korean-inspired vegan options in October 2023, as well as a plant-based pie in March 2024.
“Wagamama is a UK institution — 170 restaurants serving fresh, nourishing, and delicious Asian flavours in a format inspired by fast-paced, Japanese ramen bars,” said Michael Fox, CEO and co-founder at Fable Food Co, on LinkedIn. “And it’s a wonderful fit for our Pulled Shiitake product! Wagamama have some of the highest global standards for their supply chain, food safety and allergens and it’s a wonderful accomplishment from our team and shiitake mushroom farming partners to meet these standards.”
