Marugame UDon Review

Marugame UK has opened its newest restaurant in Canary Wharf.

The Japanese chain is like a canteen where you head straight to the counter to order, observe the chiefs cooking the meals before collecting them and heading to the pay point.  Be prepared to queue rather than have a waiter take your order. We only had to wait a few minutes but perhaps in busy days there may be a longer waiting time. 

There’s udon dishes and rice dishes to choose from starting at £3.45 for plain udon and up to £9.45 for salmon teriyaki. There’s beef, chicken, pork and fish dishes as well as vegetarian and vegan meals. 

Chicken Katsu curry is my go to Japanese dish, so I couldn’t resist having it with udon noodles (rather than the tradition rice). Crispy fried chicken thigh in panko breadcrumbs is combined with mildly spicy curry sauce and udon noodles. It was filling and hearty on a cold winter’s night.

My friend had Kimchi Yaki Udon. This is stir-fried  udon with Kimchi, cabbage, red peppers, onions, carrots and bean sprouts. This was a little bland for our tastes but there’s a self-serving area where you can add some flavouring like chilli flakes. 

 

We had our serving of veggies though red pepper, zucchini, and sweet potato tempura, but the batter seemed a little undercooked for some of them. Tempura start from 85p. 

To wash it all down I had the wasabi and apple sparking sake. Brewed from rice, infused with Japanese wasabi leaf and British apple, it was  light and refreshing. 

My friend had a ginger and turmeric kombucha. Made with naturally sourced ingredients, the warming ginger gives it a kick. 

The two floor restaurant in Cabot Place overlooks the DLR station so is good for people watching. If you’re in the area and want a comfortable restaurant with short services times then Marugame Canary Wharf could be for you. 

Opening times are 11:30-9pm daily Monday to Sunday. There is also takeaway available from the Click and Collect Station. 

Address: Upper Floor, The Atrium Kitchen, Cabot Place, Canary Wharf, E14 4QT

Website: https://marugame.co.uk

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/MarugameUK

Instagram: https://instagram.com/marugameuk?utm_medium=copy_link

Written by Caitlin Neal 

First three photos by 

Photographer – Jamie Orlando Smith
Art Direction – Karl Medley @ Ignite
Food Stylist – Rob Morris
Prop Stylist – JOS
Client – Marugame
Shoot Date – May 2021

Last picture © Max Lacome, maxlacome.com. Grand Opening.