Wagamama

A big brand but........

Never, ever, underestimate of underappreciate the brilliance that is Wagamama. Never. It does not exist in Canada (the closest we have is Wagamama Pastries & Café – and the similarity exists only in name). As such, I had never heard of this food chain before moving here. It is the perfect blend of flavours that introduces you to new dishes without asking too much of your pallet. It is the perfect place to try a taste of the east. It is the perfect place to try new dishes even if you are already a fan of Japanese food.

My favourite dish – to the point where I get it nearly every single time I go, despite also wanting to try nearly everything else on the menu, is their chicken katsu curry. It is so good I cry tears of joy and weep my appreciation into my dish as I carefully portion each bite to have the optimal amount of curry, chicken and rice. And then force myself to finish it all because I don’t usually eat big portions and its more than I can usually handle in one sitting but it is just so good.

I’m writing this, and it’s been awhile since I’ve had it, and now my stomach is knotted and craving it. So eat with caution, because it’s so good it will stick in your mind and no, you can’t just find an approximate recipe for it online and recreate it at home. Trust me, I’ve tried. I’ve tried with a student’s tenacity and budget that cringed under the £10 price tag.

There’s just nothing out there like it (hence me breaking the TripTide 'no big brands' rule)

P.S. When my Canadian parents ventured over to London to visit me, they discovered Wagamama on their own. They came back to me and raved about it. So go, enjoy, because with or without me gushing about it, I can almost guarantee you’ll love it.

Louise Rochon

TripTide User