It’s all too easy to take places like Wagamama for granted. Since the groundbreaking basement noodle canteen opened in Bloomsbury back in the early Nineties, its Zen-like devotion to healthy eating has become an international phenomenon. And, when the Nottingham branch opened in April 2001 as part of the Cornerhouse complex, the 110-seater canteen was an immediate success: its huge, street-facing windows revealing row upon row of noodle-slurping devotees most nights.
Modelled on Japanese ramen bars, it’s amazing how normal the whole Wagamama thing seems today – the meet-your-neighbour bench seating, the scribbling of orders on place mats, the healthy eating ethos (‘positive eating + positive living’)… We’re so used to it all now.
UK Wagamama branches serve the same menu: rice plate meals and Japanese ramen, soba and udon noodles, cooked teppanyaki-style on a flat griddle or simmered in huge, steaming bowls of spicy soup. All served super-quickly and efficiently. It’s a culinary concept which has been widely imitated, but rarely beaten.
But even the most successful of menus needs an occasional remix – so Wagamama have gone big on salads for their latest summer offering. There are five new salad dishes up for grabs, including cumin chicken (£8.25), prawn noodle (£8.25) and warm scallop and bacon (£8.95).
We went for the other two combinations: smoked salmon (£8.95) and mushroom, asparagus and tofu (£7.75). With a forest of mixed leaves, avocado, peppers and spring onion, my smoked salmon salad might sound a bit worthy and dull – but far from it: the decent portion of lightly smoked shredded fish was totally enlivened by a genius-like combination of wasabi and miso dressing. Meanwhile, my friend’s tofu and wild mushrooms were tossed through a salad of soba noodles, asparagus, pepper and red onion – again, the dressing rocked: a subtle, tangy mustard.
Of course, we also supplemented the meal with a selection of Wagamama’s fabulous side-order options. The ebi gyoza (£4.95), five prawn and vegetable dumplings, are almost worth it for the spicy citrus ponzu dipping sauce alone – however, I’ve never understood why Wagamama feel the need to deep fry them when they’re much tastier pan-fried or boiled. No such complaints about our other side dishes – you really can’t go wrong with edamame (£3.50), the fresh pop-in-your-mouth soya beans flavoured with chill and garlic salt, and immaculately crunchy grilled asparagus (£4.10) lightly coated in a citrus yakitori sauce and garnished with sesame seeds.
All of this virtuous loveliness was accompanied by two of Wagamama’s legendary fresh juices (somehow, you can’t help being healthy here): carrot (£3.95, large) which zinged with ginger; and raw juice (£2.95, small) boasting the virtuousness of carrot, cucumber, tomato, orange and apple.
Even the desserts have a wholesome edge – from the mango with lime zest and lychee sorbet (£3) to the tamarind and chilli pavlova (£4.50) and coconut reika (£3.10). We opted to take away a couple of natural fruit ice lollies (£1.50 each) – watermelon and raspberry flavours – to indulge ourselves in the fading sunshine. A cool way to round off a spirit-enhancing meal…
Actually, it’s a shame this branch hasn’t got any alfresco space, because their revised menu is ideal for long, hot summer days and nights. But, while overall enjoyment requires some tolerance of the often cramped canteen-style dining experience, its high-quality ingredients and smooth-running style still make this a cut above most high street chain restaurants. Plus you can usually count on change from fifty quid here. Wagamama’s ‘way of the noodle’ philosophy remains as relevant as ever. David Sandhu
Meal for two with wine: £48
Wagamama, The Cornerhouse, Burton street, Nottingham. Tel: (0115) 924 1797.Open Mon-Sat: 12-11pm; Sun: 12-10pm.
