OBAMANIA? NO, WAGAMAMANIA!
(say that ten times fast!)
Two affordable, delicious, and speedy restaurants are debuting in the United States. Wagamama (location TBD) and Pret A Manger (located at 18th and I, NW Washington, D.C.)
The first is Wagamama, a healthy Asian cafeteria-style restaurant with a slogan that boasts “positive eating + positive living.”
Famous for their ramen bar style of service, Wagamama says under their “About” tab on their website that they dislike “pretentiousness, slow service & msg.”
The Asian cafeteria delivers an assortment of freshly squeezed juices with seemingly odd pairings, like pear and carrot juice.
In addition to their tantalizing juices, Wagamama offers a wide variety of noodle, teppan, and rice dishes.
Vegetarian? Want gluten-free food?
Wagamama is eager to please. Any dietary need is accomodated to the best of the staff’s ablities. If the D.C. Wagamama is anything like the London Wagamama (which is, brilliant), this place is going to blow up on everyone’s food radar.
Recommendation: start with the ebi goyza and share the yaki soba; wash down with the “cleansing” fruit drink.
The only catch is Wagamama doesn’t open in D.C. until 2010.
2. Pret-A-Delicious.
Next up to the plate is Pret A Manger, a fast-but-delicious-and-healthy-food place which is somewhat like Panera with more international variety.
“Prets” as they are slangily referred to are as common as Starbucks on London streets.
Similar to the ideology of Wagamama, Pret’s philosophy towards food is to create “handmade natural food avoiding the obscure chemical, additives and preservatives common to so much of the ‘prepared’ and ‘fast’ food on the market today.”
Admist the freshly made menu is vanilla bean & honey yogurt, thai chicken curry soup, and herb chicken & rocket (British jargon for lettuce).
My favorite? Slim pret (a half of a sandwich) Super Chicken Club and red onion crisps (potato chips).
The UK can invade fast-food anytime they would like.
photo credit: stevenvanwel, Kenny Roden
