Wakamatsu is such an adorable little place for a lazy weekday dinner. The older female waitress is incredibly motherly and friendly, and she was probably one of the most accommodating and attentive servers I've ever had at any restaurant. The food is homey and comfortable, but nothing to write home about, and portions are a bit smaller than average.
Parking can be accessed via Foothill Blvd, although space is limited in the gravelly lot. The interior is small but cozy, and one of the first things I noticed is that everything is immaculately clean. The furnishings might be a bit dated, but everything down to the doorknob to the bathroom had been cleaned with care. I really appreciate this, and it's such a sweet gesture because it shows that the owners really take care of their restaurant (I believe this place is owned by the older female server and older male chef behind the sushi bar).
I have to say the roasted rice and seaweed tea (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#X-LGX-GKkI2-VuJ6AdWyvg) here is some of the best I've ever had. It's boiling hot in temperature, has the perfect balance of taste, and boasts a very fragrant aftertaste of roasted seaweed. I probably drank three pots just by myself (no joke).
Dinner combination with wakame, miso soup, rice, California roll, three pieces of sashimi, and beef sukiyaki:
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#-eL2yQfF3uBirtK6nr5GdQ)
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#cJj1ezZKUe-60pSAQWiQBw)
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#LN8cTcPU9FAojUNrp9MLmw)
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#EdTZZcow95GGf_lHBvH5AA)
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#hBvLSQUg5717G2KudGhT3Q)
This was quite a large dinner combination, and the pricing was really reasonable for the amount of food. The wakame was fresh if small in portion, and the miso soup was really tasty. I could also tell that the rice was made using the more expensive Jasmine rice kernels, as it was fragrant and soft. The California roll had a rice that was more acidic than I'm used to, but it wasn't bad. I did notice that it was rolled rather loosely so that it fell apart when I tried to pick it up, but the ingredients were fresh despite being a bit sparse. The three pieces of sashimi were not memorable, and they were sliced very interestingly. The beef sukiyaki was fresh and delicious, and the portion was huge! The beef itself was sliced incredibly thin and cooked to the perfect degree of tenderness. The glass noodles and tofu absorbed some of the sauce and were delicious, but the napa cabbage was a tad undercooked. The sauce veered a bit towards the sweet side in my opinion, but I've noticed that sukiyaki tends to do that.
Caterpillar Roll and Rainbow Roll:
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#AviFpzw76W2naZLK_ZBvOw)
These rolls suffered from the same problems as the California roll, with the rice being a bit too acidic and the rolls on the loose side. They were also smaller in portion than I've previously experienced, but I feel that they were reasonable for the price point. I did think that the decoration on the Caterpillar Roll was adorable though, although the branches and leaves were not edible.
Philadelphia roll, salmon-avocado roll, California roll;
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wakamatsu-hayward?select=8roc3wQb97I9t8pg86FxZA#qxTCglfFoa8bZ1yGVB2w5w)
The most memorable thing about these rolls was the richness of the cream cheese. I don't usually get rolls with cream cheese though, so it may not have been that this was extremely creamy, just that my palate is unaccustomed to such flavors. I was also a bit surprised by how pale the salmon was in color compared to salmon I've had at other places, but it tasted just fine.
Overall, I do like Wakamatsu, but I definitely wouldn't list it as fine dining. It's a comfortable, friendly place to grab a quick meal though, and chances are I'll be back when I'm in the area. read more