Wagamama - London, UK
A lot of people recommended Wagamama so I was particularly interested in trying the food here. I visited the location in Bloomsbury which was right around the corner from the British Museum. Little did I know that this was the original location and that it opened in 1992. The shop did brisk business and for some reason or another, I left the restaurant feeling a bit disappointed. The food did not live up to the hype.
Duck gyoza (£4.95)
Tori kara age (£4.20)
Chicken tama rice (£6.95)
Wagamama ramen (£7.40)
Wagamama
4 Streatham Street (this visit)
various locations throughout London
London, UK
Telephone: 207.323.9223
I was in London in June 2007, and we went to the Wagamama near Leicester Square. I, too, had heard recommendations about Wagamama, but felt rather disappointed after our meal. The food wasn't bad, but it just didn't seem right to pay £8 (US$16 with the exchange rate) for a bowl of ramen!
Posted by: Sandy | February 25, 2008 at 07:55 AM
too bad it was disappointing.
Posted by: kat | February 25, 2008 at 09:56 AM
Hi Reid - Wow that's shelling out some $$$'s for that type of food. The Gyoza looks a bit odd....
Posted by: Kirk | February 27, 2008 at 08:14 AM
For ramen-curious Londoners, Wagamama is indeed a breath of fresh air. However for others who've had the pleasure of the genuine article, Wagamama is a pale over-priced imitation.
We used to eat a Wagamama occasionally but that was more because good cheap Japanese in London is hard to find. For overseas visitors, I think you're better off sticking to simple English-style pub grub. I can only imagine your disappointment!
Posted by: Helen | March 12, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Wagamama was GREAT when we were studying abroad in London... it was relatively "cheap" and offered the comforts of Asian-ish food... the food was decent but we often gave it more credit that it deserved... then it came to Boston and Cambridge... and oh boy, that's when I woke up to the fact that paying $12 for a plate of yakisoba was ridiculous... I miss Ezogiku!
Posted by: cheri | March 23, 2008 at 06:47 PM
I'm a Hawaii girl who went to culinary school in London in 1995. Back then, I was so happy to hear of anywhere that served something resembling ramen. A decade later, I think it's overpriced and definitely worse than I remember. I too went to the original one before it was a chain. That gyoza is nasty - fried and being a local JA, I thought the ramen was not bad 10+ years ago. Who in the world recommended it to you in 2007?
Posted by: Michelle | April 01, 2008 at 01:45 AM
Wagamama is terrible. Been to the one here in Boston and honestly, it shouldn't even have a Japanese name for the restaurant. It's the most unauthentic tasting "Asian" food I've ever had. Not to mention the incrediblly high prices for unappetizing food. I left feeling like I was robbed.
Posted by: M | December 27, 2008 at 06:31 PM