Free noodles cure what ails you

Last night we went to the preview of the new Wagamama in Harvard Square. It wasn't quite a red-carpet event, though we did have to stand behind a velvet rope and have our names checked off on the guest list.

The resto doesn't actually open until Monday, but this early event was a smart idea: not only did it give the staff a chance to learn the menu, figure out the unorthodox service process (diners sit at long benches, family style; orders are punched into handheld devices that relay info to the open kitchen) and settle into a rhythm, but it also generated early buzz, both from those who ate there and from passersby who wondered what the fuss was about (and why they weren't allowed in).

For The Boy and I, it was also an opportunity for something restorative. We were both a little under the weather--he because he felt a cold a-comin', I because I was recovering from a tad too much celebrating my new job (new job, everybody!!) the previous night (an evening that went Middlesex>Central Kitchen>Enormous Room). So the prospect of healthy, spicy, fresh food was very welcome.

Wagamama was satisfyingly busy; if they can fill the room several times over before the place is officially open, it's a good sign, free food or not.

Of course, the downside is that the way the space is designed--tiled floor, few interior walls, glass and metal--means sound bounces off every surface. The conversations of the mostly young crowd and the musical cacophony from the kitchen do not make it a good place for quiet discussion. Or hangovers.

But everything improved once the food arrived. The duck gyoza were plump and juicy; the asparagus spears were fat and fresh and sprinkled with sesame seeds. I was craving a big ol' bowl of soup, so had the salmon ramen--a generous piece of tender fish in a bowl of peppery, nutritious, head-clearing broth. The Boy went for the chicken kare lomen, which involved grilled chicken and lime over noodles in a sweet-spicy coconut-ginger soup.

And lo and behold, we were cured. It's amazing what a little free food can do.

Wagamama, veggies, jugglers

After a day offshore, what with all the fresh air and walking and whatnot, we arrived on the mainland hungry. And as we were in the neighborhood, it seemed like a good a time as any to check out Wagamama in Faneuil Hall.

Despite the sunny weather, there were no customers sitting at the outside tables, which was worrisome, especially as the surrounding restaurants and oyster bars were doing brisk trade. But our waitron reassured us that they weren't in danger of disappearing.

"It's quiet right now," she said, "but usually there's a line out the door at lunchtime. We're doing pretty well."

Phew.

We started with fresh juices: a cocktail of raw carrot, apple, cucumber, tomato and orange for me, and carrot juice with fresh ginger for The Boy, who'd been battling a summer cold for the past few days. They were nutritious and, yes, also delicious; there's something about a glass of fresh fruit and veggie juices that makes one feel virtuous without having to suffer.

Which then meant we could move on to the fun stuff: generously filled deep-fried duck gyoza with a bitter-sweet cherry dipping sauce. and grilled asparagus (see, more healthy veggies!) drizzled with citrus and finished with sesame seeds.

Actually, it's hard not to eat healthily at Wagamama; pretty much everything involves fresh raw vegetables, chicken, fish or tofu (even if these last are occasionally fried).

We'd initially intended to just sit and nibble on small plates, but were quickly diverted from that plan and went for something more substantial. The Boy had a big bowl of chili chicken ramen, which came loaded with cilantro and beansprouts and made him feel much better. I opted for the asian fish salad: a thick wedge of grilled barramundi on a heap of julienned radish, carrot and zucchini, finished with a coconut-chili sauce, the veggies acting as a nice carrier for the sweet-spicy juices.



Sitting at an outside table in a high-traffic area like Quincy Market is a blessing and a curse; yes, the people-watching is fun, even if it mainly consists of white-sneakered families clutching Cheers bags and duck-tour merch.

But you're also at the mercy of the street performers. And if one happens to stake out the spot next to your table as his stage, you can forget trying to make quiet conversation until he has switched off his mike, collected his balls and gone away to count his tips. I kept hoping our particular juggler would call me up to help with his act, but I think he could tell from the gleam in my eye that I was likely to wing a club in the general vicinity of his forehead ...

Wagamama

Exploring the Selfridge's food court made us hungry. Luckily, we were just around the corner from the Wagamama on Wigmore Street.

The look and feel of this Japanese restaurant chain is sleek, clean, modern: open, airy and well-lit, with white walls and beechwood tables and a stainless-steel open kitchen running the length of the space. Dining is communal, which means you're seated family-style wherever there is space at the long tables.

You know, of course, how I feel about being unnecessarily close to my fellow diners; I prefer my food to come without a side-dish of unavoidable eavesdropping. Luckily, the overall noise level in the place is so high that we could hardly hear what our waitron was saying, never mind the people next to us.

As a rule, there's enough space for everyone--unless, as was The Boy's experience, your neighbor decides to dump all her shopping on the bench between you, thereby leaving you with just enough space for half yer bum.

Oh, yeah, the food. The menu (PDF) is big on freshness and value, with interesting choices like duck-and-leek gyoza and grilled asparagus with chili garlic salt. Big bowls of noodles and soup and rice dishes with lots of color and texture.

When I lived in London and was a Wagamama regular, I always went for the cha han (stir-fried rice topped with chicken breast) but this time I eschewed nostalgia for the yasai yaki soba, an oversized helping of wholewheat noodles with crunchy fresh peppers, scallions, beansprouts and butternut squash topped with pickled ginger. The Boy chose the chicken katsu curry, which involved panko-breaded chicken breast with a generous scoop of sticky rice and a sweet, mild curry sauce (plated with the rice on top of the chicken, rather than the other way around).

Wagamama is due to open its first US franchise on April 23 in Faneuil Hall (in the space that used to be Rustic Kitchen), with another branch in Harvard Square later in the year.



I don't doubt they'll do well.

Noodle alert!

Excellent news: Wagamama is coming to Boston! This was one of my favorite restaurants in London; the design is clean-modern-minimalist, and the food is fresh, healthy and fun. There'll be a place in Faneuil Hall and another in Harvard Square, opening spring-summer 2007.