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Wagamama,
the fast-food noodle bar, has triumphed over the Ivy, Gordon Ramsay,
and Le Gavroche, to be named as London's favourite restaurant in an
influential guide
Zagat, which
relies on 5,300 volunteers - all of them dedicated gourmets - to
conduct its reviews, has declared Wagamama chain as the most popular
restaurant of the year.
Opened in
1992, there are now more than 60 outlets of the noisy restaurant,
where the most expensive course is just £10.50. Most of the
Japanese-inspired noodles, cooked in minutes, and served by T-shirt
clad waiters.
It pipped The
Ivy into second place, a favoured haunt of actors, singers and other
celebrities, where the most expensive starter, a plate of Sevruga
caviar comes in at £90, and you can wait six months for a table.
Tim Zagat,
the founder of the guide, said he was not surprised how well Wagamama
had done, considering restaurant diners were increasingly focused on value-for-money.
"I
think it is a really wonderful place. It's good food at a good price.
"Its
popularity is helped by the fact that there are many branches of it,
but there's no doubt about it being great value for money,"
he said.
The average
meal, with service and one drink, according to the guide is £18.
This compares to £58 at the Ivy, and £111 at Gordon
Ramsay's eponymous restaurant in Chelsea, which ranked as London's
sixth most popular venue.
The guide
ranks the capital's restaurants - and those near the city - by
various categories, with Gordon Ramsay winning the top slot for food.
This is the seventh time in the last eight years that he has won this accolade.
The Ritz came
top for decor.
Zagat brings
out guides in 88 different countries across the globe. Once again,
London has beaten Paris when it comes to the quality of its food.
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