WaBa Grill is a popular fast-casual restaurant chain known for its healthy grilled protein bowls and plates. With locations across California, WaBa Grill aims to provide delicious, wholesome meals by grilling lean, antibiotic-free proteins and pairing them with fresh vegetables and signature sauces. But with all the protein options on the menu, you may wonder – what types of meat does WaBa Grill actually use?
WaBa Grill’s Protein Options
WaBa Grill offers grilled chicken, steak, salmon, shrimp, and tofu as protein choices. Customers can select a protein to build their own bowl, plate, or salad. Here’s an overview of the types of meat you’ll find at WaBa Grill:
Chicken
WaBa Grill uses 100% antibiotic-free chicken breast fillets for their grilled chicken options. The chicken is marinated in a house-made soy ginger sauce before hitting the grill. Both whole chicken breast fillets and tender chunks of chicken are menu options.
Steak
For steak options, WaBa Grill employs 100% USDA choice New York steak. These cuts are hormone- and antibiotic-free. They marinate the steak in a red wine sauce for 24 hours before grilling to medium rare doneness.
Salmon
The grilled salmon at WaBa Grill is sustainably raised Atlantic salmon. It’s marinated in a light ginger soy sauce, seasoned, and grilled until flaky.
Shrimp
WaBa Grill uses tender,Ocean shrimp for all shrimp entrees and platters. The shrimp are seasoned and grilled until juicy and charred.
Tofu
For vegetarian and vegan diners, WaBa Grill offers grilled tofu seasoned with lime and olive oil. The tofu has a crispy char and can be substituted for any protein in bowl, plate, and salad entrées.
Quality and Sourcing Standards at WaBa Grill
In addition to its commitment to fresh, grilled-to-order proteins, WaBa Grill maintains high standards for sourcing and quality when it comes to their meats. Here are some of the standards and practices that set WaBa apart:
- Antibiotic-free chicken, raised without antibiotics or hormones
- 100% USDA Choice steak, sourced from free-range cattle in the U.S.
- Responsibly farmed Atlantic salmon
- Traceable, domestic shrimp
- Vegetarian-fed proteins
- Thorough marinating for tenderness and flavor
- Proteins grilled fresh daily, never cooked till well-done
By upholding these sourcing and cooking practices, WaBa Grill provides diners with grilled proteins that are ethical, tender, and delicious.
WaBa Grill’s Signature Flavors and Sauces
In addition to high-quality grilled proteins, WaBa Grill is known for its signature sauces and zesty flavors. After proteins come off the grill, they get paired with fresh veggies and house-made sauces.
Here’s an overview of some standout WaBa Grill sauces:
Ginger Soy Vinaigrette
This signature dressing features a bright blend of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, orange, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. It adds a tangy, gingery flavor to proteins, salads, and rice bowls.
Spicy Korean BBQ Sauce
With two types of chili pepper sauce, this sauce adds sweet and spicy barbecue flavors to steak plates, rice bowls, and proteins.
Crema Mexicana
Cool and creamy Mexican-style crema tops plates like the Baja Ensalada. It provides a rich, fatty contrast to spicy proteins.
Red Wine Sauce
This robust red wine marinade gives steak a juicy, wine-infused flavor during grilling. It adds complexity to steak plates and proteins.
Popular Menu Items at WaBa Grill
With WaBa Grill’s commitment to quality proteins and signature flavors, they’ve created some beloved menu items that fans crave. Here are some of the most popular WaBa Grill menu choices:
Teriyaki Chicken Plate
Teriyaki chicken with steamed rice, cabbage salad, and ginger soy vinaigrette.
Hawaiian Steak Plate
Hawaiian marinated steak with rice, pineapple salsa, and ginger soy vinaigrette dressing.
Salmon Bowl
Grilled salmon, brown rice, cabbage tossed in ginger soy vinaigrette, carrots, edamame, and sesame seeds.
Chicken Bowl
Herb marinated chicken, brown rice, cabbage, carrots, green onions, and creamy dynamite sauce.
| Plate/Bowl | Protein | Sides | Sauce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teriyaki Chicken Plate | Chicken Breast | Steamed Rice, Cabbage Salad | Ginger Soy Vinaigrette |
| Hawaiian Steak Plate | NY Strip Steak | Rice, Pineapple Salsa | Ginger Soy Vinaigrette |
| Salmon Bowl | Atlantic Salmon | Brown Rice, Cabbage, Carrots, Edamame | Ginger Soy Vinaigrette |
| Chicken Bowl | Chicken Breast | Brown Rice, Cabbage, Carrots | Dynamite Sauce |
Nutritional Information at WaBa Grill
As a restaurant focused on healthy, wholesome meals, WaBa Grill makes an effort to provide diners with nutritional information. Their website has complete nutritional data on all menu items, so guests can view stats like:
- Calories
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Sugar
- Fiber
- Saturated fat
Some health-conscious guests use this data to make informed choices about lower calorie meals or extra vegetable sides. WaBa Grill also marks items that are low carb, vegan, or vegetarian on the menu.
While the nutritional information varies by exact protein and side choices, here are the typical calorie ranges for WaBa Grill menu categories:
| Menu Item Type | Average Calories |
|---|---|
| Plates | 700-1,100 |
| Bowls | 650-950 |
| Salads | 325-700 |
| Rolls | 700-950 |
With lighter options like salads and vegetable sides, guests can customize their orders for their own nutrition needs.
Special Diet Accommodations
WaBa Grill aims to meet a wide range of dietary preferences and restrictions. Options include:
- Gluten-free: Gluten-free soy sauce, rice, veggies, and proteins like shrimp, salmon, and chicken
- Low-carb: Bowls served without rice or with cauliflower rice instead
- Vegetarian and vegan: Tofu protein, veggie sides
- Nut allergies: No peanut oils used; sauces made without nuts
- Dairy-free: No dairy ingredients
Guests are encouraged to ask questions about ingredients and preparation. With customized orders, those with dietary needs can also enjoy WaBa’s flavors.
Where WaBa Grill Sources Their Meat and Seafood
To uphold its commitment to quality, WaBa Grill sources its proteins from vendors that meet their standards for practices and sustainability. Here are some details on their sourcing:
Chicken
All natural, antibiotic-free chicken breast fillets come from poultry suppliers like Mary’s Ranch and Foster Farms in California.
Steak
USDA Choice New York strip steaks are sourced from Midwestern beef producers like Greater Omaha Packing Company.
Salmon
Responsibly farmed, antibiotic-free Atlantic salmon fillets are sourced from vendors like Seattle Fish Company.
Shrimp
Wild-caught white shrimp is sourced through suppliers like Oceanside Seafood.
Tofu
Non-GMO organic tofu comes from California producers like House Foods.
By maintaining close relationships with vendors, WaBa Grill can better monitor quality, freshness, and responsible sourcing from start to finish.
How Often WaBa Grill Changes Up Their Meat Selections
For the most part, WaBa Grill maintains a consistent selection of proteins on their menu. These classic options like chicken, steak, salmon, and shrimp are available year-round. However, WaBa Grill does occasionally offer limited-time seasonal specials or new proteins to mix things up.
Some examples of past and present protein specials include:
- Ribeye steak
- Jidori chicken
- Mary’s Free-Range chicken
- Chilean sea bass
- Lemongrass shrimp
- Korean beef
These proteins are sourced from the same trusted vendors and allow regulars to try new flavors. WaBa aims to balance offering staple favorites with novel seasonal picks to keep things interesting but consistent.
Holiday and Seasonal Specials
Around major holidays and seasons, WaBa often debuts special plates or bowls. Some recent examples include:
| Holiday | Limited Time Offering |
|---|---|
| Valentine’s Day | Surf and Turf Plate with Steak and Shrimp |
| Summer | Mango Salmon Bowl |
| Fall | Korean BBQ Chicken Plate |
| Winter | Braised Short Rib Bowl |
From tangy mango salmon in summer to rich braised short rib in winter, these seasonal specials keep the menu feeling fresh and exciting all year long.
Conclusion
With its lean, tender proteins seasoned with zesty sauces, WaBa Grill has crafted a menu full of crave-worthy flavor combinations. By sticking to high standards for sourcing, quality, and freshness, WaBa provides diners with guilt-free grilled proteins they can feel good about enjoying. Whether you opt for a teriyaki chicken plate, Hawaiian steak bowl, or salmon salad, you can trust that WaBa Grill puts care into their antibiotic-free meats and thoughtful recipes.