10a Lexington Street,
Soho,
London,
W1 0LD
0872 148 0982
The ViewLondon Review
Most Londoners have, at some point, visited a branch of Wagamamas. Modelled on Japanese Ramen bars, their bench seating, fast, simple and affordable food and modern design principle have quickly made them a favourite, especially with young, time-poor professionals and savvy media types.
The Soho branch, on Lexington Street, shares with the Covent Garden location a suspicion of being housed in a converted public toilet. Wagamama's slightly stark style does nothing to dispense with this impression, as you descend the rather municipal stairs to the loud, convivial dining room and squeeze inelegantly onto a bench.
One Wagamama is much like another as far as the food's concerned – excellent ramen, teppan and udon noodles, fresh ingredients, lots of choice for vegetarians, with wine, healthy drinks and juices and Asahi beer to drink. The rice dishes tend to be a little less good and can be both salty and sticky, especially for those used to the fluffy, firmer rices such as Basmati, more familiar to Western palates (but harder to eat with chopsticks).
Try gyoza (chicken dumplings) as a starter, and don't miss the ebi kare lomen (noodles in a coconut-based soup) or the chicken chilli men (an old favourite) - although unlike in other branches the lemongrass could have done with being a lot more finely chopped. Nobody likes to spend a meal picking splinters out of their teeth.
You don't go to Wagamama for an intimate dinner, or (usually) on a date. But for inexpensive, modern, and healthy Japanese cooking, with no need to book and a quick turnaround, it's indispensable.