January 16, 2009

Eating in London - Wagamama & Masala Zone


I have visited London many times and my trips to London tend to be rather spontaneous and pressed for time. Still,  when in London, nothing beats a great meal. This post is about my two favorite restaurant chains in London - Wagamama & Masala Zone!

The restaurant scene in London can be overwhelming, especially for a visitor. These two restaurants,  with a casual vibe and service will make you feel relaxed and content.

Wagamama is a popular noodle bar chain in London serving pan-asian dishes. The food is amazing, the service is spot on and the price is resonable (ofcourse only if you are earning in pounds, but still reasonable compared to London standards) . Anyways I just love this restaurant and would eat here every night if I were living in London.

If you are looking for fine dining this is defenitely not the place for you. Its a casual restaurant with a real buzz about it. We have been to the Wagamamas in Soho, Kensington & Earl's court and they are all very contemporary and bright with long tables and wooden benches where people sit together. As there are no smaller tables, the seating could be a problem if you like your privacy, but if you are nosey and wondering what everyone else has ordered and what else looks good then I think the concept is brilliant !! The restaurant tends to be packed during lunch hours with business people and tourists alike and you may have to wait in line to be seated.




The menu is laid out in categories such as noodles, soups, rice dishes ,etc and clearly explains the dishes which is helpful if you are a new customers. The service is great, and the waiters always help you with the menu and make sure to come by your table to check that you are satisfied with your food. The only complain I have is that each dish is brought to the table as soon as it is cooked. While this is great for the freshness of the food, but if you are in a group and your dish is brought out first, then your friends will have to watch you eat while waiting for their food to arrive. Depending upon who your friends are, this situation could be good or bad!


My wife and I love this restaurant so much that we ended up eating here three times during our last visit to London and my wife even has a Wagamama T-shit to prove it. I’d say to anyone you should at least try this place once, cuz you never know, you might just love it as much as we do!!




Our other favourite restaurant is "Masala Zone" in Soho. This is again a casual restaurant chain serving Indian food, the atmosphere and service is similiar to Wagamamas. The Indian food joints in London is amazing and one can find an Indian restaurant in every block. If you're interested in Indian food but not sure where to go, I wouldn't hesitate to steer you to a Masala Zone.