Wagamama

A few years ago, on a trip to Dubai, a ravenous craving for ramen took over. I didn’t want to shell out big bucks at a fancy Japanese spot, and so, Wagamama came to the rescue. Yes, the trusty ramen bar from the UK that’s a step up from everyday casual joints. I remember ordering gyoza and the chicken katsu curry on the side, and it was one of those very comforting meals that stayed with me.

Cut to this week, when I found myself at Wagamama in my city, in Cyber Hub, Gurgaon. The international chain entered Mumbai last year, in collaboration with K Hospitality, and since then, Delhi NCR's been waiting its turn. It has the usual suspects on its menu — curries, ramen, gyoza, baos, teppanyaki and desserts — along with non-alcoholic drinks (they call them soft cocktails), fresh juices and kombucha. The bar programme, with beer, wine and Asian-inspired cocktails, rolls out soon.

The food at the new Wagamama at DLF Cyber Hub

No prizes for guessing, but ramen was at the top of the agenda. I went for the chilli tantanmen, served with generous amounts of ramen noodles, menma and kimchi, chilli oil, half a tea-stained egg and minced chicken. It’s a hearty broth, and one that brought back memories of my Dubai trip. Pro tip: there’s a bottle of chilli sauce on the table for those who want to turn up the heat.

The katsu curry comes in two versions: the OG, which is slightly milder, and a hot version for those who like a little more spice. I went for the latter with perfectly crusted chicken, just the way I like it.

Among the small plates, the bang bang prawns are worth ordering, although it has a little too much firecracker mayo. The prawns themselves are plump and moist. The kokopanko chicken is a bit too coconut-y, but the sriracha dip served alongside offers some relief. 

There’s also a teppanyaki noodles section. I picked the lamb crispy soba, swapping the soba for udon, with amai sauce, chilli and teriyaki. It was too sweet for my palate, and this is probably something worth flagging on the menu.

They also have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on their menu. 

The drinks and dessert at Wagamama

I usually skip dessert at Asian restaurants, but the viral golden banana katsu — fried banana with caramel ice cream — was too tempting to ignore. Happy to report that it’s delicious. Let’s just say you can’t go too far wrong with anything fried.

The Vietnamese popcorn affogato is another one for coffee lovers. It isn’t too sweet, and the popcorn stays satisfyingly crunchy.

For drinks, there are fresh juices, kombucha and soft cocktails such as yuzu and lychee tonic and kaffir lime sparkling lemonade. The former was a little too bitter for me, while the latter was refreshing and herbaceous.

The space

The brand new outlet's got Wagamama written all over it, with light wood, communal tables, black-framed partitions and an open kitchen where you can watch the action unfold. There are origami-like lights overhead and those paper placemats where your server scribbles down the numbers corresponding to your order — a little ritual that regulars will recognise. And when the weather is on your side, there’s alfresco seating with more tables to settle into.

The verdict 

Wagamama is just the place for a comforting, fuss-free meal, especially when you’re craving a bowl of ramen or a plate of katsu curry. My advice: stick to the classics and you’ll have a good time.