LOCATIONOn the third floor of the Wintergarden complex in the Queen Street Mall.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAWagamama brings Japanese cuisine to the masses via informal, quick, unstructured service within clean, modern settings. Ignoring the traditional tatami mats and the removal of shoes, the restaurant has maintained the more inclusive aspects of Japanese dining, such as communal feasting and complimentary green tea.
Overlooking the bustling Queen Street Mall in a large, modern dining hall with glass and pale wood panelling, the busy space fills and empties quickly with the ebb and flow of the day. The young, multicultural staff are highly trained and make sure your meal progresses smoothly, from seating your party to settling the bill. In between these two events, the menu takes centre stage and hits all the right notes. With comfort food like the signature steaming bowls of ramen soup, to more Australian-inspired dishes like barramundi curry served with steamed rice, there is something to fill the belly of any particular palate. Wagamama is constantly abuzz both weekday and weekend, and notoriously does not take bookings, so be prepared to either wait or make new friends, but be assured, in one way or the other, your dining experience will be excellent.
Nicholas Wong, May 2009