UK Noodle Invasion

Wagamama, the British Noodle Shop chain, is opening its first US location on April 23rd! The first restaurant will be located in the touristy Fanueil Hall area of Boston. Another one, situated in Harvard Sq., is slated to open this summer.

Boston has always been lacking in quality Asian food, Wagamama is exactly what the city needs! Havard Square especially doesn't have a great Asian restaurant - sure you've got Penang, Pho Pasteur, a handful of easily forgettable Thai and Japanese places and that random "pan-Asian" place that used to be where Finale is currently located, but it's definitely not the place to go when I'm hungering for some noodle soup. If I could spend a Saturday afternoon in Harvard Sq., casually perusing Jasmine Sola, the Urban basement, Le Foot AND have the ability end it all with a steaming bowl of ramen or a plate of veggie katsu w/ curry, I would be in heaven. It could change my whole perspective. On life.

I equate Wagamama with my year abroad. It was where I had one of my first and last meals in London. I loved the long communal wooden tables and benches, the crisp white plates, the bursts of steam coming from the open kitchen, the noise of constant chatter, soup slurpage, and cutlery clinking against the plates. Ohhhhhh MEMORIES. That's all we have in this world. The fruit juices are excellent - not too sweet or tart. I remember the carrot juice being particularly thirst quenching. The Yasai Katsu Curry is one of my favorite dishes on the menu - slices of breaded eggplant, sweet potato and squash, fried and topped with Japanese-style curry.

I hope they'll open a Wagamama in New York. This city could use another restaurant that serves $12 bowls of ramen, right?

Click here to read the full menu.