A visit to downtown Lawrence will usually involve a stop along Massachusetts Street. Known to locals as Mass. Street, it is lined with unique shops, interesting pubs, and tons of dining options. A day of exploring the city will most likely include a need for a meal, and for us that meant a visit to Wa Restaurant. Over time we have visited many spots along the main drag, since our daughter used to live in Lawrence. This would be our first visit to this location.
Quiet Time
The day of our visit coincided with a planned march, which would start a few blocks from the restaurant. This meant that our section of Mass. Street was fairly empty, which allowed for us to enjoy a mostly empty restaurant. We were confident that this was the reason, since the reviews had been quite positive. The dining area has plenty of tables, as well as a row of seating along the sushi bar. We decided to opt for a table.
Let’s Get This Meal Started
Since our daughter was with us this day, it meant that we would be able to showcase three different meals. We all selected bento box meals, which begin with a choice of salad or soup. The weather was a little chilly (Not too bad for January in Kansas), so we all chose the Miso soup.
Here, Little Fishy
Crystal and I are not really sushi eaters, although we don’t mind the kind that doesn’t involve raw fish. Our daughter is more adventurous than us, and we are happy to let her enjoy all of the little fishy she wants. Since it was the weekend, the lunch specials were not in effect. I couldn’t really tell you what all was included in her meal, but hopefully you sushi lovers will be able to identify it for yourselves.
Teriyaki Time
I knew Crystal would order the Teriyaki Chicken, since it is her go to meal at most Japanese restaurants. The bento box comes loaded with plenty of extra bites. A California roll is a perfect sushi solution for us, and six pieces are plenty. The large slices of tempura coated vegetables offer an interesting twist, and come with a dipping sauce. A round version of a cabbage roll has a flavor unlike any we have tasted, and includes bits of potato in the mixture. A small salad was unexpected, since it had been one of the pre dinner options. (Glad we picked the soup.)
Big Bento Boxes at Wa Restaurant
I went with the Teriyaki Steak, which includes all of the same sides as Crystal’s meal. The beef was a little chewy, but that is almost always the case with this dish at every place we have tried. While we dined, the restaurant began to fill up with diners. It appears that our timing was perfect, and we finished as much as possible. The meals were certainly filling, and none of us were able to complete them. After we were sufficiently full, it was time to get back to exploring. We left confident that we would be full for quite some time. Have you ever tried a bento box dinner?
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