Wagamama!

Yesterday my fiance and I tried out an Asian Noodle/Eatery chain called Wagamama in Boston. My expectations were low to none, considering my past experiences at Republic and Momofuku in New York. (I know there are alot of Momofuku fans out there...sadly, it did not impress this Asian). Surprisingly, Wagamama did not turn out to be a painful experience at all.

Upon entering Wagamama, I was greeted by a wonderful aroma of noodle broth. The open kitchen allowed this to permeate through the space, which was in a simple modern design. Luckily, our waitress avoided seating parties right next to each other at the restaurant's communal tables. There was even a clever space under the tables to allow ladies to place their purses. Numerous coat racks were available to make customers more comfortable.

Our order was taken by our waitress with an electronic device, which then shoots this to screens in the kitchen. How efficient is that? Here's what I ordered:

• Ebi Gyoza - We shared these deep-fried shrimp dumplings for appetizer. The dough was surprisingly thick, much like that of Americanized spring rolls found at your local Chinese restaurant. The flavor was good, but was a tad heavy on the pepper. The spicy citrus ponzu sauce was a nice compliment.

• Seafood Ramen - I never expected seafood ramen at a eatery to be topped with shrimp, salmon, baramundi AND squid. I was impressed by this variety and quality. The spices used for the seafood were flavorful, but not overpowering. And did I mention the noodles? They were nice on the tooth - just the right amount of chewiness and perfectly cooked.

Overall, the restaurant exceeded my expectations. It apparently has locations in many other countries - UK, Ireland, Turkey, and much more. I wonder what took them so long to hit the US?