Wagamama Wants Diners to Pay £13 for the Privilege of Eating Seared Watermelon

Good morning to Wagamama’s watermelon “tuna” brass neck only

Hot on the heels of Greggs’ vegan steak bake and KFC’s Quorn chicken burger, Wagamama wants its vegan, vegetarian, or sadistic diners to pay £13 to eat cooked watermelon and play “spot the difference” with tuna. Despite mimicking sashimi — that is, raw — tuna’s texture, the dish is eaten hot, according to the Independent, with the watermelon brined, cooked sous vide, and then seared a la minute before being plated alongside white rice, soy seasoning, radish, kale and tenderstem broccoli, as well as a guacamole made with avocado, (yes) edamame, (ok) and tofu (what.)

The restaurant says that the watermelon tuna tastes like watermelon, not tuna, which brings to mind one of the great food articles of 2019: Naaman Zhou’s journey towards a smoked watermelon ham, in the Guardian. That watermelon was brined, baked, and then glazed, and ended up: “ like “an evil Christmas”, “an old packet of cigarettes” or simply “regret”. It is the exact temperature of a human body that isn’t doing so well. Someone likens it to warm sashimi.” Warm sashimi that tastes like watermelon, exactly what Wagamama is promising, for £13. [Independent]

And in other news...

• Here are the biggest London restaurant openings to watch in 2020.
• Pastry man Dominique Ansel will kill his darlings by opening a new London restaurant with no cronuts on the menu whatsoever.
• McDonald’s launched its vegetarian/vegan dippers yesterday while Greggs and KFC were busy engaging in the Quorn Supremacy.
• Start January with a meal at one of London’s best new restaurants.
• Popular vegan residency Club Mexicana will open its first permanent restaurant in Kingly Court. [Big Hospitality]
• Good tweet: