Back to Wagamama

(See also April overview (1))

Back to Wagamam for lunch around 1.30pm. Quite busy, so we are put half-way back - any further wouldn't be too nice because of the low ceiling and frying smells.

The smiley and heavily pregnant manageress arrives quickly to take our wine order (Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - £21; there are cheaper options) and we also order edamame beans. These come quickly while we're deciding on the rest of the order. As before the chilli and salt is layered on top, so once you get further down the bowl, there's not much interest left.

For "starters" we order the chicken gyoza, and beef kushiyaki (off the specials list), and for "mains" the ginger beef and coriander salad (again) and firecracker praws (specials). The gyoza comes quite quickly and is good - hot, crispy, though not strong on flavour. The beef comes at the same time as the mains - it is 3 skewers of 3 large pieces of beef, in a soy sauce. Very tasty, and mostly very tender.

The beef salad is again very good - a very fresh, light dressing on the salad, and tender beef- though probably didn't need more beef, and it's not very ginger. The firecracker prawns are not for the faint-hearted. Although it comes with a mound of boiled rice, the chillis in the sauce are pretty strong - I avoid the most fearsome-looking ones. Plenty of prawns too. Mains are about £10 each - fair value.

There are a couple of largish groups in - it's an ideal place for that. And two tables of 4 shoolgirls arrive as well - I suppose it's better for them than KFC - rather more sophisticated than I was at that age!

Service throughout has been brisk and efficient - you could be out within 45 mins if you wanted to be. We linger over another glass of wine, and leave paying £80 including service.