A New Noodle in Town

“All our food’s made fresh to order so the dishes may come out at different times,” our multi-pierced, mohawk-sporting waitress informed us as she punched our orders into a handheld device that looked a lot like my TI-83 Plus. At first, her disclaimer sounded like an over-rehearsed statement of the obvious: shouldn’t all restaurant food be made “fresh to order”? But here’s the hitch: Wagamama is a fast food joint. Was the last Big Mac you ate “made fresh to order”?

Modeled after the noodle bars that are ubiquitous in Japan, this British chain made its U.S. debut in Boston’s Faneuil Hall, with its second branch opening up this summer in Harvard Square. Wagamama has all the markings of the average fast food haven: a line out the door twenty diners deep, the decibel level of a subway station, and rushed, fairly inattentive service. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the prices to match. With the average meal ranging from $10 to $15 a head, it provides a very peculiar dining experience, where the communal tables and general hullabaloo make one feel like a kid at the lunch table emptying out his piggybank.

The menu, reminiscent of an airplane emergency pamphlet, is a bit tough to navigate. The appetizer tidbits they call “side dishes” are good enough, but the most reliable meals are those involving noodles—after all, the place is masquerading as a noodle bar. The ramen noodles, which are served in a traditional large bowl with a mini-ladle, swim in various soups that make them wonderfully conducive to slurping. The kare noodles, which come in a coconut-based soup, are uneventful but satisfying. Your best bet is the moyashi soba (whole wheat), #27. It’s $10, vegetarian, and good for you, despite the blatant lack of seasoning.

The rice dishes are dubious at best, and overall, the food looks better than it tastes. However, in the case of the yasai katsu curry (#72), there is nothing appetizing about the appearance of rice that looks like a plastic toy from the Fisher Price kitchen. The citrus lime mousse provides a nicely acidic finish to an otherwise dull meal, even though the color of the lime layer is certainly not found in nature.

Perhaps Wagamama’s price problem is a function of its British roots. If a tube ticket costs four pounds, it’s no surprise the restaurant’s Web site touts the fact that “customers can still enjoy a meal and drink for under £10 [$20!] per head.” At Wagamama’s prices, hit up Spice, 9 Tastes, or Lê’s for a quieter, better seasoned noodle encounter. But Wagamama certainly puts the “fast” back in “fast food”: if you keep up with the waitress’s pace, order when she insists, scarf down your food, and pay immediately, you’ll be in and out in 15 minutes, which almost beats McDonald’s.