Wafutei

Literally meaning “Japanese Style Restaurant”, Wafutei seems like a bad plot of an Abbot and Costello skit “where should we eat?” I promise you though, this place won’t disappoint. Surviving the test of time opening first in 1994, Wafutei has proven to be an ideal role model of what Japanese food is supposed to taste like.

When you look at the restaurant, there is no question on what type of food they serve. The venue itself is typically designed like a giant sumo wrestling hall representing Japan to the fullest. The food is pretty much all Japanese with everything from Shabu-Shabu to Nigiri sushi. I personally tried the Tonkatsu set, which comes as the typical standard Okinawa serving sizes. Are you ready for this? It had the main Tonkatsu dish, cabbage salad, rice, tuna sashimi, chawanmushi (egg custard), and miso soup. By golly, it was a meal fit for a King! (Or should I say, fit for an Emperor!) As if that wasn’t enough, you can also swap the miso soup to Zaru soba (buckwheat noodles). If you never tried Zaru soba, it’s basically cooked buckwheat noodles served dry on top of a bamboo basket. The noodles are then dipped in to Tsuyu (soup) which has chopped spring onions, seaweed, and sometimes wasabi. It is a fresher appetizer alternative to the common miso soup since the Tsuyu is served cold which makes it perfect for Okinawa’s hot summers days. It’s all delicious and a definite must try experience. They also have a lot of different Japanese style desserts which mostly revolves around their star dish which is the mochi. Cost is made for Okinawan’s budget as the entire emperor-ish set meal was a mere 1,500 yen. Most of the other dishes cost a lot less. Perfect for when you want to treat your family out for a nice Japanese meal without burning a hole in your wallet.

Wafutei is scattered all over the island and can be found in almost all San-A department stores. This one in particular is conveniently located in Hamby Town which is located right in front of Camp Foster commissary gate. Not only is it easy to reach but it also provides an elevated clear line of site to Araha beach. I recommend that you go during sunset for the spectacular view.