Hardly any progress at all (review II Wagamama)

A few weeks ago I went out for a quick dinner w/ my cousin Varishta Shireen, before we parted our ways at the Amsterdam Central Station. Looking for a place somewhat convenient to dine at that would not cost us too much, our choice fell on Wagamama. It had been a few years since I visited the restaurant, because my previous experiences did not leave the best impression on me. I found the food to be overpriced and not too impressive.

I figured they must have improved for the better in the mean time, and I was really fiending some Asian noodlesoup. I picked the pork ramen for €13,50 and my cousin picked the yaki udon w/ soba noodles for €14,95.

What I really liked about the lay-out was the absence of those picknick-styled tables and benches, and presence of semi-comfortable chairs and a nice interior. Unfortunately, once again, the food did nót live up to my expectations. The ramen soup broth had very little flavor (I dumped a bunch of soysauce and chili oil in there to make it somewhat tasty), the noodles were a bit too chewy, and I really missed some extra veggies for texture. I also tried out my cousin's noodles, and I thought the dish was a bit dry. I had the exact same thoughts when I tried out their yaki soba and chicken itame in the past!

Maybe I am too spoiled when it comes to flavors, but I sure do know my Asian food! And Wagamama comes no where near close to a good ol' sui kau or wonton soup w/ noodles served at any Zeedijk restaurant for half the price! Yes, I just mentioned some Chinese dishes instead of Japanese, but I think you get my point! The only reason I would still not completely write this restaurant off is because they serve some good desserts ánd their breakfast menu has sparked my interest.

Lobi,