Wagamama

There is no better restaurant to exemplify London's burgeoning fastish chainish food scene than Wagamama. It's been around for years now, and I think there's one in Boston, but it still defines this phenomenon that is the only interesting thing about eating in London: why does everyone want to eat in chain restaurants? On streets dotted with Pret a Manger and EAT outlets, even Starbucks seem infrequent. And while I"m critical of the desire to eat prepackaged carryout for every meal- and I loathe the notion that these places will soon overrun all other options- to their credit, these spots tout local produce and freshly made products, and have far better options than their American counterparts like TGIF and Burger Kings (would those be our equivalents?). Take Wagamama, a more expensive noodle chain, with communal seating, casual waitstaff and creative healthy options:

I love their friendly folding menu with thorough dish descriptions, and reading over it now makes my mouth water for a ginormous noodle soup. Sharing a plate of gyoza, a sama salad and a bowl of kare lomen is a tremendous meal, and when you throw in a cucumber ginger lemonade, it seems downright healthy. Perhaps they should put the calorie count on there, though- then it might not seem so innocuous.
Next up: Itsu, another soupy British chain.