Review: Wagamama

If ever there was a restaurant for which the sentence "less isn't more, more is more" (with apologies to James Cameron) was made for, Wagamama would be it. And I understand one's mileage may vary on that.

The service is efficient – arguably too efficient. The main meal portions are large – arguably too large. But what an eclectic mixture of smells, meals and friendliness arise from the cosmopolitan kitchen and floor staff, where the Philippine head chef, Thai sous chef and front-of-the-house Dubliner, Aoife, do their utmost to fill you with warmth and comfort. At that, they succeed.

The warmth of the restaurant is a genuine blessing as I come in from the Belfast cold and sit by the huge window of the Victoria Square Wagamama, one of only two of its kind in Northern Ireland (the other's in Dundonald).

As I relax and open the menu, two thoughts strike me: one, I love chicken, but I've eaten a lot of it recently so I'll need to find something different. Two, I don't eat here too often, so (as was the case with 3Levels) I'm not too familiar with many of the starters and their names.

Fortunately, the descriptions on the menu, Aoife, and my brother (over for the weekend from Glasgow) are here to lend a helping hand. And so there is no chicken in our combo of starters but instead a combination of other meat and fish, featuring lollipop prawn kushiyaki, chilli squid and, to top it all off, a Korean barbecue beef and red onion steamed bun.
As with Solo, my senses of smell and sight lead me to believe that the chilli squid will be good. That it certainly is, although a little on the salty side.

The kushiyaki, aka skewers of grilled prawns marinated in lemongrass, lime and chilli (again), are juicy and tender, while the taste of the barbecue beef lingers nicely at the back of the throat.
But the best choice of starter is my brother's – and it's neither fishy nor meaty.

Initially put off by the thought of mushrooms in the onigiri, I instead let my curiosity to taste one get the better of me and am rewarded with a hot, spicy and rather tangy breadcrumb-covered ball of sticky rice with garlic and chilli (yet again) dip. I will definitely order these myself next time.

My choice of mains, a larger than expected bowl of pork ramen, is a great cold healer. The chicken noodle soup itself is absolutely delicious, and the vegetables are well cooked, although the effect of being served the mains so soon after the starter really kicks in when I realise I can't finish the meat. It's clearly a similar story for my brother, tasty though he finds his yakitori duck.

It occurs to me that if I am to have any hope of trying the dessert I must know my limits. So although – alas – the main meal goes unfinished, the immensely calming cup of green tea and the white chocolate cheesecake that follow go down a treat. At least half of the cheesecake does.
As much as I – and no doubt my brother – have enjoyed our latest Wagamama experience, there is a lesson to be learned. While there are plenty of reliably tantalising options to choose from, one should definitely be wary and thoughtful about how much they order and when they order it.

Perhaps Wagamama should be named "the Victoria Square restaurant with the most choice and the friendliest service but the most unattainable finish line"? I guess it depends on how much you can take.

Simon Fallaha

Wagamama at Victoria Square is open from 12 noon to 9 pm from Monday to Wednesday, 12 noon to 10 pm from Thursday to Saturday, and 12.30 to 9 pm on Sunday. For more information check out wagamamani.com.