u/nimzoid

I used to love Wagas. It's not a vegan chain but they used to have loads of plant-based options and made a big deal about it being better environmentally. It was a good vibe.

But they've been cutting back on vegan options for a while now, they've stopped talking about the environment and they've also gotten really expensive for what you actually get.

Anyway. Tonight I ordered the shitake mushroom donburi. Started eating it... And realised it was beef instead of mushroom.

It was definitely beef. Some mushrooms can have a meaty, umami quality, but after a few mouthfuls I got suspicious about the texture, then smell. Checked with my wife (who's not vegan). Conclusion: beef. A big bowl of beef seeping into the whole rest of the dish. And so into the bin it went.

I'm sure it was an honest mistake, probably someone who'd made 10 beef dishes already and just went on auto pilot. (I still posted a one-star review explaining what happened.) And I got a very easy credit refund on the delivery app.

It's just disappointing. I know the purists say if you buy from places that cook meat, don't be surprised if you end up with meat. But I always thought Wagamama was a pretty safe choice.

I don't really like to give a place a second chance when they do something this egregious. So I think this is it for me and Wagamama, especially after the direction they're taking.

Anyone else got a chain that let them down? And any recommendations instead?

EDIT: It turns out this might have been mushroom after all from reading the comments. I'm still not 100% convinced, as it looked more like the beef brisket with sesame seeds on then the mushroom version.

Also, if it was actually vegan I'm disappointed with Wagamama for not labelling it as a mock meat dish even though they've clearly had plenty of feedback that vegans ordering it think it's meat. This is misleading and causes unnecessary confusion, as the menu suggests you'll get something recognisably mushroom not something that looks, tastes and smells like beef.