Wafu (Closed)

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

I will never step foot in this restaurant again. The public deserve some level of service and this woman needs to learn some manners and practice what she preaches.

We went to dine at Wafu today. I haven't eaten there in over a year and thought the sign must have been left there by mistake from an event last night. Needless to say my partner and I entered. Only to be told it was far to stressful for her to speak to us. We left in shock of her rude attitude and also being turned away when she only had one other patron in the restaurant. It's not hard to see why every other restaurant in the hood was buzzing. Whilst I appreciate her food is sustainable, healthy, prepared with love etc who wants to dine under such extreme circumstances in a restaurant that lacks patrons and any atmosphere whatsoever.

Feb 28, 2012 

1.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

I'm never stepping foot in here again~ I've been a member for about a year and probably visited Wafu 3 times. Most times, it has been ok although I was nervous as to not annoy Yukako. Although I agree with her stand in being mindful of what you eat, and her environmental concerns, to be treated like second class citizen and turned away and backed at, because I hadn't read her new "rules" on her website and subsequently been told to leave. She even said "I will revoke your membership if you do this again". Get stuffed Yukako, you can cancel it, I'm not supporting you ever again! I think she's a very unhappy person inside.

Feb 23, 2012 

3.8 Below Average

Food  8      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  3     

This place used to be wonderful when it first opened. The food is beautiful and I had a few memorable evenings there. So I raved about it to a friend who was visiting from NY. However, when we got there we were told to leave. Seriously!

I know that Yukako is a good hearted + well meaning woman, and Wafu is her creation and that she is an adorable eccentric character but her treatment of us and general demeanor was very odd. Aggressive.

I have since looked at the website + wonder how she can expect anyone to relax enough to enjoy the food when there are so many rules to eat there - how many times to chew, how to swallow, how to sit at the chair and how much to eat. Talk about the Sydney version of Seinfield's Soup Nazi.

It is good that she has made Wafu a members only club because she has turned off the general public. I hope she's ok now and in the future - because she looks very stressed at having to explain all these rules. It's a real shame.

Feb 15, 2012 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I thought it was a very beautiful place soothing and spare decor. We had banquet, the food was great japanese-y with emphasis on stockpot like dishes, very healthy felt really good afterwards despite usual generous intake of liuquor including sake. Lots kurly kale must be good! yukako was amazing, a goddess I reckon! 8/10 at least.

Dec 19, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  10     

Anyone offended by Yuki's eccentric ways is missing the point. This is a left-field operation, run by someone whom you might call obsessive, but it's her business and she makes her rules very clear from the outset. I agree that all the rules & bossy notices are a little off-putting (I love the one in the bathroom telling you not to throw your food down the toilet), but Yuki herself is really sweet, and completely dedicated to serving the best & most sustainable food possible. She's totally uncompromising, and I can imagine that if you got into some sort of stand-off with her things could get a little strained, but as I say - it's her place, so either you get with the program or you go to Sushi Train.

The food: fantastic. I've never eaten anything like it outside Japan, it's proper home cooking made with excellent ingredients, mostly organic, fresh and delicious. Great organic wine list, and an absolutely incredible organic sake.

Ambience is OK, the atmosphere is cosy and welcoming, but crikey it's noisy - all tiles & reflective surfaces, get a couple of chatty tables in there and the decibel levels are off the scale.

Service: incredible. Yuki does everything - cooking, table service (including a chat), the lot - so it can be slow, but never ridiculously so, and really I don't know how she does it.

Value: excellent. You'll easily get away with $30 a head (that's the "discount" price for those who eat their entire meal).

My only major reservation about the place: the rice! It's not great. I love brown rice, and I'm sure Yuki prepares it in some way that is designed to deliver the maximum nutrient value - but the end result is stodgy and tasteless. It would never keep me away from the place, but if you're a Japanese food purist, the rice is going to disappoint.

Overall: highly, highly recommended. There's nowhere else like it in Sydney, and unless you're the kind of touchy, precious diner who thinks that service = being fawned over by smiling zombies, you won't have any problems.

Just eat everything on your plate, and don't throw your food down the toilet.

Sep 28, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  10     

The food is excellent. It would seem that the proprietor manages the entire place herself - including cooking, taking orders, clearing and billing. We were warned that on a Friday the service would not be quick. Indeed it wasn't but the food arrived pretty promptly after ordering and tasted terrific. It's also not as salty as most Japanese restaurants. The food is like home cooking.
The strident tone on the written material belies the fact that Yukako (the proprietor) seems very nice when she's not rushing around. Perhaps there has been something lost in translation. Frankly, I think it's great that someone is willing to take a principled stand against wastage and over-consumption. Also I suspect the membership clause is a means to control numbers to practically manage the restaurant solo.

Sep 19, 2011 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Wafu is the most pretentious, disappointing, and infuriating Sydney dining experience I have ever had. I went on a Monday night with a member and walked away feeling like a second class citizen after the way we were treated by the owner. Hardly the emotions you want to have after going out for a plesant meal.

As other reviews have described, we were treated incredibly rudely, made to wait constantly and barked at throughout the meal. While the food was beautiful and fresh I could barely enjoy it as I was so tense as to the way the senior staff may treat us, the next time she graced her presense at our table. Awful, Horrible Place! Hope people come to their senses in supporting her rude style of hospitality and it Closes!

Jul 01, 2011 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  1     

I have never been anywhere so bizare in my life. Anyone seen blue eyes greens eyes the experiment where people very quickly become master or slave well this was us on saturday night. We became children who were told off if we did not eat all our food. My husband was told to drink half a bowl of soy sauce left in the bottom of the bowl, which he did so he didn't get into an argument with her. The woman is a zealot and unstable in the mind!

May 02, 2011 

3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  5     

Although I've posted a rating of 5 for food and value here, I've never actually eaten at Wafu. I'd love to be able to, but a sign at the door announces in bold, underlined type "Don't come in!"

The restaurant is now only open to Wafu club members. Prospective diners are instructed not to bother asking how to become members. (If the number of vacant tables in the restaurant is any guide, the Wafu club is highly selective.)

I assume the owner wouldn't be able to claim any losses through the Tax Office while actively discouraging new customers? No matter, the vegetarian Indian restaurant a few doors along Cleveland St gets my regular custom, at least everyone's welcome there.

Feb 16, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  5     

I've eaten at Wafu on a number of occasions in the past and enjoyed the food and have had no marked reason to notice the service or staff. I am amazed how it has changed.

The owner now seems to be going out of her way to be rude to the extreme and has bizarre rules on dining at her restaurant; you now need to be a member, you are not allowed to ask about becoming a member, you may only dine in pairs etc - if you are unaware of these rules you are then treated poorly in front of other diners (there are noticeable few diners!).

I went with a friend from overseas on a Tuesday night. We stood at the counter for quite some time. The owner made a very strong point of not making eye contact. After a time I politely asked if we were OK to take a seat, the owner’s response was rude, immature and totally bizarre (I truly felt embarrassed at her lack of humility) – it was not pleasant. We left the near empty restaurant.

If you are keen to try Wafu then I would call in advance to check that you fulfill her criteria to be a diner. If you’re still keen then I suggest you go sooner rather than later as I suspect this business will not survive when better service and food can be found within a stone’s throw of their location. I will not be eating at Wafu again nor would I suggest others eat there.

Jan 13, 2011