What oil does WaBa Grill fry in?
WaBa Grill cooks with No deep fryer in store; proteins are grilled over an open flame and the dumplings/sides are steamed then pan-seared, not deep-fried. WaBa Grill's own About page explicitly says they skip "no microwaves, no frying, and no artificial additives." What PUFA there is comes from sesame oil and soy-based sauces in the marinades, WaBa sauce, teriyaki sauce, and sesame/boom boom dressings, plus whatever light oil is used to pan-sear the dumplings..
The 5 cleanest things to order at WaBa Grill
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Sweet Chili Sauce | 0.0g |
| Miso Soup | 0.0g |
| Shrimp Bowl | 0.5g |
| Wild Caught Salmon Bowl | 0.8g |
| Steak Side (3.5 oz) | 1.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the WaBa Grill report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does WaBa Grill use beef tallow?
No. WaBa Grill cooks with No deep fryer in store; proteins are grilled over an open flame and the dumplings/sides are steamed then pan-seared, not deep-fried. WaBa Grill's own About page explicitly says they skip "no microwaves, no frying, and no artificial additives." What PUFA there is comes from sesame oil and soy-based sauces in the marinades, WaBa sauce, teriyaki sauce, and sesame/boom boom dressings, plus whatever light oil is used to pan-sear the dumplings., not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.