All I want for Christmas is….
Posted: 28 July '10 by Kelly
Wagamama - coming to Belfast!
.. for Wagamama to come to town.. And guess what?! It is!! The much-loved Japanese restaurant will be opening in Belfast’s Victoria Square in time for Christmas.
UPDATE: Wagamama is here! Read our latest post.
Niall and I are so excited by the news! If you’ve been to a Wagamama resturant then you’ll know why – If not, then you are in for a treat!
I lived in Nottingham for a while and I was lucky enough to have a Wagamama at the bottom of my street – I originally ventured in when I couldn’t face another evening of cooking for one person, but after that I subconsciously found more and more reasons to eat there. I loved everything about the experience: the smells and sounds of the open kitchen when you arrive; being seated at the ‘communal dining’ long benches that replace the traditional table and chairs, creating an authentic Asian dining experience; and the arrival of the food, with steaming bowls of delicious broth and noodles being a specialty.
Wagamama is all about Positive Eating and Positive Living, a philosophy that they explain as “combining fresh and nutritious food in an elegant yet simple setting with helpful, friendly service and value for money”. The food is certainly fresh and you leave the restaurant feeling very virtuous (and satisfied) which is perfect if, like most of us, you love eating out but are worried about putting on weight.
Our favourite meals at Wagamama in Nottingham (and this is hard to pin down as there were many!!) were -
- ebi katsu – deep-fried prawns in panko breadcrumbs, served with a spicy chilli and garlic sauce garnished with lime
- edamame – steamed green soya beans with either salt or chilli and garlic salt
- miso soup and japanese style pickles
- seafood ramen – noodles in a vegetable soup topped with grilled smooth dory, prawns, squid and seasonal greens.
- teriyaki soba-grilled teriyaki beef on a bed of teppan fried soba noodles with curry oil, mangetout, chillies, bok choi and sesame seeds
There was also an amazingly gooey chocolate cake with wasabi.. I could go on and on and on as the menu really is delicious!! And the best thing is that everyone will find something they like – there are lots of chicken and rice dishes for those who aren’t as adventurous or who have a plainer palate. Knives and forks are available but it’s alot of fun trying to master the chopsticks.
Roll on christmas is all I can say!
50 new jobs for Belfast
Wagamama’s opening in the run-up to Christmas means that there will be new jobs in the service industry, including waiters and waitresses, administrative staff, line chefs, managers and supervisors. They’re currently recruiting for a Head Chef and Senior Management positions – CV’s should be submitted with a covering letter to chris@wagamama.ie.
Other information
“Wagamama” means “naughty/wilful child” although it is probably more accurately translated as “selfish”.
You can visit the Wagamama website at www.wagamama.com.
Tags: belfast restaurants, christmas, japanese food, News
Categories: News
it’s the greatest thing to happen to Belfast since Frank Carson….left and went to England…
Would it be trite to say that it’s the way you tell ‘em, Manuel? :)
Aaargh! So excited! Ate in Wagamama in London and I was hooked! Can’t wait for it to open!
cannae wait!!! Best food ever! I get to it everytime im in Bristol! food heaven :)