READING is looking pie and mighty today thanks to a new fusion food.
Oracle Riverside restaurant wagamama has teamed up with Willy’s Pies to launch the Chicken Katsu Pie.
There is also a vegan alternative, featuring Mushroom, Kimchee and Edamame.
To celebrate, they were in Broad Street giving away samples to hungry shoppers.
The pies have been put on the menu for a short time in 19 branches across the country, including Reading.
Willy’s Pies were born during lockdown and the brand aims to celebrate the traditional art of pie making.
Founder and head chef is Will Lewis – and he has worked at some of London’s biggest restaurants including Brat and St John.
Now, he’s teamed up with the restaurant that specialises in Asian food.
The pie’s fillings including chicken and fresh vegetables served in wagamama’s katsu sauce, wrapped in a flaky pastry.
It comes with wagamama’s katsu side salad and pink pickles.
The plant-based version features a filling of smoky king oyster mushrooms, rich diced aubergine and fresh edamame beans, coated in an indulgent and satisfying spicy curry sauce. The pastry is encrusted with kimchi.
Reading was the first stop on the Where’s Willy tour, with a truck set up to hand out samples to people queueing in the rain to have a taste.
It is now on a tour of the country, visiting London, Southend, Reading, Cardiff, Brighton, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester.
Wagamama’s global executive chef Steve Mangleshot said: “It was a lot of fun working with the brilliant Will Lewis and the Willy’s Pies team back in November when we created the Chicken Katsu Pie for noodle lab.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing this hybrid and its new vegan counterpart to wagamama’s across the UK.
“Collaborating with leading innovators like Willy and experimenting with talk-worthy dishes keeps wagamama relevant and fresh.”
And Mr Lewis was delighted with the team up, saying a lot of hard work had gone into the creation of the new pies.
“We wanted to make something fun and innovative, without compromising on the flavour or quality Willy’s Pies is known for. We’re so excited to take these on tour and see what the rest of the nation thinks.”
As part of wagamama’s ongoing commitment to supporting communities, along with Willy’s Pies, the company is partnering with local football teams from across the UK.
