WaBa Grill, one of the nation’s leading fast-casual healthy rice bowl chains, has partnered with Nasoya Foods USA, the nation’s #1 tofu brand, to bring guests their new Plantspired Steak. The 100% plant-based option is available in three menu items, Plantspired Steak Plate, Plantspired Steak Salad, and Plantpowered Steak Veggie Bowl.
Speaking on the launch, Mark Finnegan, Chief Marketing & Information Officer at WaBa Grill said, “Today’s launch is momentous for WaBa Grill as the ongoing evolution of our menu now features an amazing meat alternative in Plantspired™ Steak, which underscores WaBa Grill’s enduring commitment to the experience of every guest, no matter their dietary needs or preferences. As we mark 15 years in business in 2021 and set our sights on continued menu innovation, our success will always be driven by the idea that healthy food made with expertly prepared, high-quality ingredients should be delicious and accessible to all.”
Unmis-STEAK-ably Delicious
VEGWORLD had the opportunity to stop by one of WaBa Grill’s nearly 200 locations to give the new Plantspired Steak a try. Being big fans of veggies over here, we opted for the Plantspired Steak Veggie Bowl and it did not disappoint.
The Plantspired Steak Veggie Bowl includes your choice of white or brown rice, steamed carrots, broccoli, and cabbage, and the plant-based steak slices. You can choose to top your bowl with green onions, pickled carrots and jalapeños, and for an extra $1.99 you can also add half of an avocado. WaBa Grill’s Signature Sauce and WaBa Hot Sauce are also available to add even more flavor to your bowl.
The Plantspired Steak, which is marinated in-house in WaBa Grill’s steak marinade, tastes surprisingly, well, like steak! We don’t mean to be dramatic, but it kind of blew our minds. The texture is spot on and we were surprised by how juicy and flavorful each steak slice was.
The mouth-watering flavor is definitely due to how the Plantspired Steak is cooked. Once marinated, the steak is then grilled over an open fire to get that perfect caramelization before being finished with WaBa Grill’s signature WaBa sauce. The marinade, featuring Asian-inspired flavors, has just enough smokiness to add depth without being overpowering. We don’t know about you, but we’ve had our fair share of faux meats with so much smoke flavor that it takes away from the rest of the flavors and spices. You won’t find that with WaBa Grill’s Plantspired Steak – it’s perfection.
Aside from wonderful texture and flavor, the Planspired Steak is also great for those looking to get their protein. Each serving boasts 16 grams of plant protein, making for a satisfying and filling meal.
Plant-Based Partnership
WaBa Grill has offered organic tofu on their menus for years now, but the addition of the Plantspired Steak is definitely a big deal. The debut of Plantspired Steak marks the first time Nasoya has teamed with a large restaurant chain to make its products available to the masses.
“Nasoya plant-based products have been loved by home chefs across the country for decades so this collaboration is a natural evolution as more people than ever are looking for trusted plant-based products when eating out,” said Sung Yoon Nam, VP of Marketing at Nasoya. “We’re extremely proud to see Nasoya make its QSR debut in all WaBa Grill locations and are confident our Plantspired™ Steak will be a great addition to the menu to meet WaBa Grill’s customers’ evolving taste preferences and dietary needs.”
We are thrilled that another fast-casual restaurant has added a solid vegan option to their menu. We are already looking forward to our next visit to WaBa Grill and can’t wait to see what other innovating plant-based options they may come out with next.
WaBa Grill’s Plantspired Steak is available at all WaBa Grill locations. To view WaBa Grill’s menu and to find your nearest location, visit www.WaBaGrill.com. To learn more about Nasoya® and its Plantspired™ lineup, head over to www.nasoya.com.
