Sizzle sizzle sizzle

Small dinner gathering with the gang at Artarmon, Sydney last night. Right! So I travelled all the way from Eastwood to Artarmon; I know some people who drive may say "well, it's 20 minutes drive! Not that far!". Yea, true it's not that far if you drive but I was taking public transport which took me more than double the driving time (there's no direct transport so I had to take a bus from my house and then take train from Chatswood)! I don't mind travelling far for GOOD FOOD though =)

So the restaurant I was heading was Yakiniku Restaurant Wakana. Yakiniku - grilled meat on a smoking hot grill. I've tried Korean BBQ for n times but this was the first time I had Japanese BBQ. Wakana is a side street off Artarmon's main strip Hampden Road (opposite the Artarmon train station); it's a small restaurant so it  will be wise if you have a big group of people to dine in (they open 6pm but it becomes full house really quick!).

The built in hot grill.
Everyone has a plate of 3 different dipping sauces - sesame, peanut and not sure what's the last one (it tastes like soy sauce but a little sour, maybe it's just vinegar).

Tanya and HD were the first people to arrive. Like me, they are very punctual =P

Complimentary salad

Some chit chat while Rina was ordering the food.

Beef tongue
Again, I'm not eating it. These were just theirs!!!

Pork belly

Beef tongue and pork belly sizzled in the grill.

Chicken with some marinated sauce (not sure what's that sauce though lol)

Wagyu beef
Ok so, this was the reason they like to come to Wakana (my first time but not theirs)!
Basically they had wagyu beef for the whole dinner. Everyone was just eating the beef except for me eating chicken and pork!

Wagyu beef curry rice
They ordered  two of this to share between two tables (except for me again lol)

Tanya showing her very satisfying look after eating her wagyu beef!
She was like "Mmmmmm, yummy!"

Pork belly
This was really yummy!!! I like to eat it with the sesame sauce also without dipping any sauces (it already tastes good without dipping anything!!!)

I heard Yoyo saying that Wakana is popular with locals for its excellent value for the amazing wagyu. I'm not sure with that, you know the reason... But I'll also recommend for its great pork belly and chicken =D

Here's the address and phone number if you feel like a yakiniku~

Wakana Yakiniku Restaurant
2A Broughton Road, Artarmon, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9419 7499

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 12pm-3pm and 6pm-9.30pm (Friday and Saturday til late)
Sunday 6pm-9.30pm
Closed on Mondays