Wagamama, the popular British ramen chain, has finally opened its doors in New York City! The chain was founded in 1992, and today, more than 20 years later, Wagamama focuses on flavors not only from Japan but also from other areas of Asia as well. With more than 150 locations, this NYC location becomes the second in the USA, after having opened one in Boston…
Next to the main menu, Wagamama offers a menu that is entirely gluten-free. The manager told us that many things in the main menu can be made gluten-free, but he highly recommended the dishes from the gluten-free menu, considering they were carefully designed with gluten sensitivity in mind. He warned us that, despite the chef’s efforts, there’s always a possibility of cross- contamination. He also mentioned that this could be minimized when ordering from the gluten-free menu, as they used a separate work area and utensils.
We began our meal with the steamed edamame sprinkled with chili-garlic salt; a perfect start. We then tried the lollipop prawn kushiyaki: skewers of grilled prawns marinated in lemongrass, lime and chili. For a moment, we were transported back to the beautiful islands in the south of Thailand. Spectacular. Next, the waiter brought out the duck wraps: shredded, crispy duck, cucumber and scallions in a lettuce wrap.
For the mains, we went with the chicken itame, which was one of the most popular dishes on their main menu, and also on the gluten-free menu. A thick coconut and lemongrass curry dish with rice noodles, veggies and chicken. We couldn’t leave without trying their popular ramen, so we ordered the chicken ramen, also with rice noodles, seasonal greens and a hard-boiled egg. The broth was light and delicious. There were two GF dessert options: vanilla bean ice cream with a passion fruit sauce, and a coconut ice cream also with a passion fruit sauce and coconut flakes. We tried both. They were simple, but you could taste the quality of the ingredients. A great way to finish our meal!
Wagamama has arrived in NYC with an impressive space, excellent service and amazing gluten-free menu. We can’t wait to go back.