Food review: Is Wagamama's in Hatfield worth the hype?

But - third time lucky, I was able to eat to my heart's content during the chain's third official week in The Galleria. 

I have been to a Wagamama's twice before; the first time was five years ago in Bournemouth and the second time was in St Albans, a year ago. 

So, for my third and hopefully not final time, I wanted to see if Wagamama was still worth the hype. 

The restaurant was packed with families and university students on Thursday night. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

The Japanese-inspired restaurant was filled with customers, which you would think was unusual for a Thursday night. 

We enjoyed all the classic Wagamama dishes along with some starters and refreshing drinks. 

The host let us know that as everything was fresh and prepared once the order was put in, the dishes would arrive 20 to 25 minutes later and not all at once. 

The chicken katsu curry arrived first, and although it did not look the most appetizing, it did have all the flavours.  

The chicken katsu curry was a tasty but salt filled dish. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

The chicken was crispy and delicious, while the rice was soft and fluffy. The gravy was mouth-watering as well, but had a bit too much salt, which did not stop us from eating it but gave us a filling sensation within a few bites. 

Next to arrive was the grilled chicken ramen which is marinated chicken on top of noodles, in a rich chicken broth with dashi and miso. This was topped with pea shoots, menma and spring onions.  

The grilled chicken ramen was flavourful and very filling. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

The aroma of the dish hit all the right spots, while the broth remained the star of the meal. 

It kept me going back for more as the hot soup had a home cooked tenderness with just the right amount of spice.  

There were multiple ingredients within the dish, but every component complemented the other. But once again, this was a hefty dish that was hard to complete. 

A tint of grey in the chicken was the colour of the meat when marinated in various sauces. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

Our ebi katsu was the last to arrive, but the starter was the champion dish that I wish I could eat like a bucket of popcorn all day long. 

The prawn starter was the highlight of the night. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

The crispy fried prawns in panko breadcrumbs, served with a spicy chilli and garlic sauce, and garnished with chilli, coriander and fresh lime, was mouth-watering. 

Finally, the peach iced tea and the sparking and cherry blossom lemonade from Wagamama's mindful drinks range was a mild palate cleanser with the right amount of kick to it. 

The cherry blossom lemonade and peach iced tea were very refreshing. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

Overall, the staff were wonderful and incredibly attentive. They worked in sync to make sure tables were ready for new customers, and had a smile on their faces - regardless of the overflowing line of people that were waiting to be seated. 

I tried out Wagamama's in Hatfield to see if it was worth the hype. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

At the moment, I would say Wagamama in Hatfield is definitely worth a try and you can see why the chain restaurant has been successful all these years.