The line snakes around the 2 flights of stairs, extending from the cafeteria style basement out to the windy streets of London. The line is filled with students, families, couples, and one group of diners, fresh off the plane to visit my lovely sister who was residing in the city at that time. 


The day had been long but exhilarating for this 12 year old; traipsing around Trafalgar Square harassing the pigeons (which I’m pretty sure has set off the lifetime of traumas I’ve since had with birds…), wandering around the National Gallery and discovering Renoir for the very first time, and riding the tube with the panache of a hedgehog. I think the way  my family arrived could be best described as “taking Britain by storm.”

I loved this one and got a postcard and a print!

At the end of this whirlwind day, my sister wisely recommended the very trendy restaurant Wagamama. At the time, I was unimpressed by new restaurants, new trends, and food in general. As a picky vegetarian, I was likely just wondering what variety of potato I would be dining on for the evening. However, as my nearest in age sister and I paused for just a moment from our (weeklong) Spice Girls Girl Power Singathon, we noticed for the first time that we were in a pretty neat place.


I ordered my unadorned yet fancy ramen style noodles in my big bowl, and chose to go down the “fork” vs. “chopsticks” road. These were not your mama’s ramen noodles from the microwave. Seriously tasty stuff here! 

I kept this postcard all of these years so I wouldn’t forget!

Granted, I was a noodly noodly kid. I liked my ramen first seasoned, then drained, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. It was a very serious preparation that I had down to a science. But these noodles threw a fork in all of that! They inspired me to go ahead in life to try buckwheat noodles, soba noodles, and most recently, tofu noodles. I’ve tried gluten free pasta, rice noodles, and cellophane noodles. I’ve made homemade potato gnocchi, and tried strange gourmet veggie pasta. 


But the humble noodle soup from that trip will forever remind me of that wonderful trip to London. I haven’t returned to U.K. since, and I’m pretty sure that next time I go I will have to return to Wagamama. Even if there is a line way out the door again.


Have you ever waited a ridiculously long amount of time to eat at a restaurant? Was it worth it?
Have any of you eaten at a Wagamama somewhere around the world?


Until tomorrow- wishing you all noodle wishes and renoir dreams!


Meri (That’s Baby Spice to you…)


***The lovely Sarah from Sarah the Writer has graciously bestowed upon me a second “Stylish Blogger” award. Thank you thank you Sarah! You are too kind, and I am tickled pink!
However, I am thinking that there is no one else who would be “tickled pink” to read 7 things about me for the third time, so I am going to break the rules (yet again) and link back to my previous two posts for whom it may concern 🙂
Seven Things for New Years
and 
Seven Random Things


Thanks again Sarah!