Popular eatery and global brand wagamama will open its UAE flagship restaurant at one of the world’s busiest shopping malls, The Dubai Mall, on Wednesday 31 January 2018, bringing the number of locations across the UAE to five, with 2 more planned in 2018.
wagamama was founded in London’s Bloomsbury district in 1992 with a clear purpose: to create a place for positive eating where the food satisfies the senses and the soul. It embraces a ‘kaizen’ philosophy meaning ‘good change’, constantly striving to create and make things better. This ethos has remained with the brand for more than two decades, focusing on positivity, freshness and continuous improvement.
RMAL hospitality opened the first Wagamama at Crown Plaza on SZR followed by the Greens, JBR and Palm Jumeriah in 2004, 2007 and 2015 respectively. Continuing to reinforce the brand’s ‘positive eating + positive living’ philosophy, wagamama at The Dubai Mall will serve an array of freshly cooked to order Asian-inspired food.
Signature dishes include chili squid, tossed with seven spiced shichimi, the iconic chicken katsu curry, and wagamama ramen, a house specialty and worldwide favorite since wagamama’s beginning. A selection of fresh juices, prepared to order include choices such as super green with apple mint celery and lime and raw juice with carrot, cucumber, tomato, orange and apple.
The menu which is created to soothe, nourish and inspire, includes a wide variety of both rice and noodle dishes and is also complimented by fresh salads, sharable sides, mocktails and dessert options. A mini-menu has been designed for kids ensuring that there is something for the whole family to enjoy.
Located in the Star Atrium of the iconic mall, wagamama is within walking distance to world renowned tourist attractions, the Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain. It is the first wagamama restaurant in the UAE to feature the same interior design as London’s flagship branch in Covent Gardens with a modern interior featuring sleek mirrors and communal tables. Comfortably seating 156 guests and spanning over 4000 square feet the restaurant also boasts an outdoor terrace.
The opening marks a new chapter in the wider expansion plans for the restaurant brand across the UAE and a growing presence in neighboring GCC countries. Restaurants in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are also in development for later this year.
wagamama boasts 180 restaurants across 23 countries worldwide, while the GCC count stands at a strong 11.
Elias Madbak, Director of Operations at RMAL Hospitality, franchise partner for the brand in the UAE commented: “Our strategy is to deliver world-class experiences to the UAE. The launch of our fifth wagamama at the iconic The Dubai Mall, will allow the discerning UAE public along with visiting tourists a chance to enjoy food that’s good for the soul-served quick, in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The arrival of wagamama at The Dubai Mall is a significant milestone for the brand as we continue our expansion across the UAE.
Mandeep Sandhu, Group Marketing Manager of RMAL Hospitality, franchise partner for the brand in the UAE added: “We are excited to launch wagamama at The Dubai Mall, wherein we will be able to showcase the brand to a wider local audience, as well as tourists. Being a fun brand, wagamama is bound to attract the experience seekers and Asian food lovers and we are determined to make sure we serve them the wagamama way – which is no way actually, but celebrating individuality, self-expression and freedom of choice.”