The honeymoon period may be over for this hip and healthy noodle chain, but a vital branch in Covent Garden proves wagamama is still going strong.

The Venue
It’s fair to say London is crawling with wagamamas. Throw a dart in the West End and you’ll hit at least three. But if you’re in Covent Garden for a show and you’re looking for dinner without remortgaging your house, you’ll start to see why they’re so popular. Once inside, you find a bright, open plan dining area with long table-benches, cheery cream colouring and spotless washrooms. This communal and windowless setting should feel like the canteen from 1984, but somehow it’s perfect.

The Atmosphere
Park yourself in around 5pm and watch those benches filling up with City types, students, mums and daughters, families and first dates all rubbing along happily. wagamama make a point of employing quirky, outgoing staff who scribble on your paper placemat and chat about the health benefits. If you’re near the back in Covent Garden you’ll see your meal is cooked from scratch by a confident crew of chefs, so any special requests are cheerfully noted. Everything feels as positive and caring as the company motto says.

The Food
Duck, chicken, prawn or vegetable gyoza (steamed dumplings) make a perfect light starter or side-dish for just under £5, while the ebi katsu (deep-fried tiger prawns) come with a spicy garlic sauce that gets you ready for more. The main courses are divided into coconut noodles, spicy noodles, noodles in soup, salad and rice, and you can narrow down your choices with a handy little glossary at the side. The amai udon come in a massive bowl of egg, tofu, prawns, leeks and onion, sprinkled with a crunchy peanut garnish, and the yasai katsu curry has a thick and mild sauce, with fried sweet potato, aubergine and butternut squash pieces which crunch and melt with the rice.

You’ll struggle to spend £20 a head so far, so three generous dollops of coconut ice cream with sticky mango sauce feels like a must. The wasabi is so subtle in the chocolate fudge cake it’s barely there, but it’s enough to transform dessert into something special.

The Drink
A nice list of light Asian beers, white wines, reds, a rose and a plum, and as much free green tea as you’re comfortable asking for. The real stars, though, are the juices. There’s a thick and tangy raw juice you could eat with a spoon, and for less than £3, the fruit juice with apple and passion fruit is so fresh you’ll be tempted to down it in one.

The Last Word
They don’t even add service charge, which lowers the shock-factor even further and sends you away with a warm, fuzzy feeling. If you haven’t already, you really should, and Covent Garden is a great place to start.

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