Wagamama takes the States by storm

Wag-a-what? No, it isn’t a place for fried chicken and grits nor a type of historical Native American housing. Wagamama is the newest import from across the Atlantic Ocean, where it found a niche amongst the poshest of Londoner palates serving Asian noodles.

The overseas chain of restaurants has landed on U.S. soil, putting down its first roots in Boston — the only two locations stateside are in Harvard Square and Faneuil Hall.

Since opening in April, Wagamama already boasts a clientele of loyal customers.

So why come to Boston first? Most American fans of their food were in Boston.

The Wagamama menu is primarily inspired by local Japanese food, and is fused here and there with Thai spices. ‘Wagamama’ actually means ‘stubborn’ or ‘picky’ in Japanese, but these people surely mean it in a cute, pouty way, since the food is far from pompous. Like the simple interior of all of their generally identical restaurants, the food is clean-cut and playful.

The restaurant is characterized by an open kitchen, casual waiters and a long table with benches.

Don’t be distracted by the couple sitting next to you on the same plank of wood. Though the benches deceivingly imply that you’re too close to your neighbors, the tables are roomy and provide just enough privacy while preserving the energetic environment.

Just like the atmosphere, the food is a little unusual, but charming. It is a complex menu full of grub that requires imagination to visualize when ordering, but still sounds so enticing it’s hard to pick just one thing.

The signature dish: ramen noodles, in traditional and more exotic variations with chili and lime — not what you find in 99-cent packs in the grocery store.

For the most elite of ramen connoisseurs, the clear broth ramen would disappoint, as it did this reader. Still, the spiced-up counterparts are more flavorful and should not be neglected.

Many offerings at Wagamama come in spicy and non-spicy versions. The ‘yaki noodles’ or grill-fried noodles, are like Chinese chow mein with softer noodles. Soba noodles are partially made from buckwheat, so it is an unusual thing to be tried . . . once.

The ‘kare’ soup has coconut milk in it, reminiscent of coconut-based soups found at Thai restaurants. The ‘chili men’ are nothing special, but still mildly pleasurable. Imagine spicy Chinese stir-fry atop slightly soggy noodles.

Though I have yet to sample the stir-fried ‘cha-han’ rice, Wagamama’s ‘katsu curries’ are worth checking out. A large mound of steamed white rice is adorned with crispy fried chicken cutlets (or veggies, if you prefer) and smothered with a zippy curry sauce. Amazing. Salads and appetizers such as gyoza dumplings and edamame complete the meal.

But save room for one of the unusual desserts, like the stem ginger cheesecake with white chocolate sauce.