01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
If you order the seared bonito, try it with the house soy sauce. One diner singled out the garlic chips served on the side, which can be added to taste; another commented on the bonito’s colour and freshness. The menu lists it as the signature “Special Seared Bonito”, making it a natural first choice at Wagen.
Sashimi, tempura and rolled omelette with dashi are other dishes to add to an evening meal. One diner said they ordered a second serving of the bonito, while another praised the rolled omelette’s rich dashi flavour. Together, these accounts suggest a meal built around seafood and a succession of small dishes. Set courses include an assorted sashimi platter and a trio of small seasonal dishes, handy if you would rather sample a selection than choose everything individually.
Another dish worth looking out for pairs simmered pork with May Queen potatoes. It appears on the menu as “Simmered Pork with May Queen Potato Sauce”, while the lunch menu includes a set with simmered pork and three seasonal selections. A lunch guest mentioned the sauce made with May Queen potatoes, and another enjoyed the combination of pork and potato. It offers a change of pace from the seafood and a distinctive Wagen dish to consider.
The lunch menu includes a set meal and an upper-tier kaiseki option, offering a choice between sampling a little of several dishes and settling in for a more composed meal. One lunch guest described a Japanese set served on one plate, with sashimi, grilled fish, fried food, rice and red miso soup. Another, who had reserved a daytime meal, noted that two kinds of soy sauce accompanied the sashimi, as well as the May Queen potato sauce served with the simmered pork. Dishes vary with the order and season, but lunch may suit anyone looking to enjoy fish and seasonal items together.
For a drink, consider Kuro-ushi, listed among the local sake from Wakayama. Choose from fish dishes in a course or individual plates such as seared bonito and simmered pork, then add sake to suit the meal. Wagen is also described as suitable for solo dining, with options ranging from lunch sets to evening kaiseki.
