Word from the West

Anne Marie Carroll finds that East meets West at Wa Café.

For the majority of the population of the world, it would be unthinkable to sit down to dinner without a pot of hot rice on the table. Put there to soak up sauces and juice, sitting at the centre of the plate, making it a meal. Long-grain, short-grain, brown, black and red, there is a rice for every dish, from a classic risotto or paella to biryani and kedgeree. And who among us could say no to a creamy rice pudding with a dollop of homemade jam?

We Irish, of course, take similar comfort in potatoes, refusing to have a main meal without them. Boiled, roasted, mashed with butter, even pizza or pasta come with a side of spuds in some households.

Wa Cafe is a cosy little spot just off the docks in Galway City where the rice is soft, sticky and delicious and the food is authentically Japanese, from sushi rolls, miso soup, bento boxes to green teas.

The menu is short with a rotating choice of specials ensuring there is always something new. Knowing as we do, that the Japanese are the only people on earth to ever manage the culinary magic trick of making tofu palatable, it is no surprise that there is a good choice for vegetarians. There are chopsticks on the tables, but they will give you a fork and not laugh if you need one.

In Japan a chef must train for ten years to become a professional sushi chef or `Shokunin`. Wa Cafes owner, Yoshimi Hayakawa, had done her sushi training in Tokyo when just over fourteen years ago she came to Galway to learn English and like so many before her to visit Galway, she has never left.

She fell in love with the City of the Tribes and began her culinary career serving traditional sushi in Galway’s famous market, captivated by Galway’s cosmopolitan vibe and the warm and engaging spirit of its people.

Yoshimi opened Wa Café at 13 New Dock Street eight years ago and this taste of Japanese life is now a firm fixture on Galway’s dining scene. The cafe has a very loyal following from both locals and visitors to the city.

Wa, which means harmony, brings a fusion between East and West and now Yoshimi does exactly that too. Just last year, through her connection with the Back to Education Centre, Yoshimi enrolled in the culinary school at GMIT. Wa Cafe had provided a platform for work experience through the education centre and through this relationship, Yoshimi found herself heading to school for the first time in Ireland.

With no knowledge of traditional Irish cooking methods, she spent six months immersed in learning new skills. “I have enjoyed so much learning how to cook an Irish Fry, baking bread and even an apple tart, these are things I would never have experienced, except that I am in Galway and am taking these opportunities,” she says. As part of this course Yoshimi had to complete seventy hours work experience in her friend Jess Murphy’s kitchen at her restaurant, Kai, on Sea Road.

Through this journey of food and culture, Yoshimi has updated and changed her own menu at Wa Cafe to incorporate more flavours and seasonal produce to suit Irish diners. “After going back to school and working in Kai, I felt that tradition is important but also transition is important too. Studying nutrition, menu planning and food trends are also to the forefront of my mind and interests.”

The new menu includes Connemara miso soup bowl and riceballs using seaweed from Mungo Murphys, 'Toyota City Ramen', (Yoshimi's home town) with sticky Friendly Farmer chicken, Ramen noodle, Galway free range hens egg and vegetables from the market. “The world is changing fast, becoming more diverse and people mind more about food. You can find a harmony in the Wa café new menu, harmony of tradition and transition as well as harmony of east and west.

For dinner time, you can still enjoy traditional style of nigiri sushi made with local and seasonal fish. Do not be surprised there are no tuna and no salmon on the menu, Wa cafe will use only sustainable fish.” explained Yoshimi.

The Wa Cafe Lunch Box includes panko pollock, traditional tofu cake, chicken combined with miso soup and market salad of quick pickles. You can also choose from the sushi roll selection that ranges from a Wa ginger and Wasbi, Achill Island smoked mackerel, chicken or mushroom turnip roll.

Galway is known for its diversity, our medieval city has been a melting pot for as long as it has existed. This has translated to our restaurants and our cuisine is becoming as varied as the population. There is a rich exchange of cultural influences and food traditions from far and wide that comes with each of the many migrant populations that chose to settle here and call Galway home. Cuban, Japanese, Indian or African, these exotic, complex cuisines are creating a food culture that continues to evolve. Yoshimi Hayakawa's story is a story about food, community and culture, one more very welcome voice in Galways global village.

Wa Cafe, 13 New Dock Street, Galway City.
Tel: 091 895850. E-mail: info@wacafe.net

Wa Cafe is open Monday to Thursday from 12pm to 3pm for lunch and from 5pm to 9pm for dinner and from Friday to Sunday from 12pm to 9pm. Wa Cafe have a stall at the Galway Market every Saturday and Yoshimi also runs sushi workshops teaching traditional sushi making methods.

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Anne Marie Carroll is a freelance food writer and member of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild who lives in Galway with her husband and two children. 

With a background in design and illustration, Anne Marie made the switch to journalism with a regular food and wine column in The Galway Advertiser. Her work now mainly focuses on restaurant reviews, writing and editing recipes, the development of food photo shoots, including styling and photography. She also writes for a number of other publications and works as a consultant for small producers, food retailers and restaurants.

Anne Marie writes about all things food from the West of Ireland at her blog, Warm & Snug & Fat. You can also find her on twitter as @Biscuits4ABear