Wagamama’s food is designed with heart, soul and flavour in mind. You’ll be served the freshest of food, as soon as it’s ready, and get to enjoy the communal style dining. There are no private tables, no reservations, and it’s all about getting friendly with your neighbours. The decor is simple yet modern, and seats are long wooden benches. You can view your menu and pay via your menu’s QR code, and your waiter will give you the lowdown on all the newest dishes. There are always excellent noodle dishes on the menu, plenty of ramen and delicious rice options. With the diverse flavours of Asia, and so many wonderful textures of vegetables, proteins and rich sauces, it’s never a dull day at Wagamama. This particular branch is located at Leicester High Cross, in the heart of the city.
To begin your meal, you could order a selection of your favourite side and sharing plates, which double up as starters. There's a beef fillet and pickled mooli seared tataki made with thinly sliced meat and drizzled with a zesty yuzu sauce, along with the sashimi salmon crispy otsumami, which are squares of crispy fried rice that are soaked in a soy and yuzu dressing, topped with smashed avocado and edamame. For something hearty, order the Korean inspired broth hot pot for your main dish, with chicken, tteokbokki, butternut squash, mangetout, bok choi, kimchee and red onion. From the ramen section, we'd order the tantanmen beef brisket with an extra rich broth, menma, spring onion and half a tea-stained egg.
Donburi are the rich dishes, and we think the silken tofu gochujang rice bowl stands out, with its sticky bed of rice, pickled cucumber and snow onion slaw. Teppanyaki is fresh off the grill, and the perfect balance of soft noodles and crunchy vegetables. Try the crispy shredded duck saku saku soba with a sweet amai sauce, egg, beansprouts, leeks and chunky spring onion, before a drizzle of spicy teriyaki sauce.