AS a former London dweller I am no stranger to Wagamama restaurants, but to enjoy a meal there while shopping at my favourite Somerset outlet was a real treat. 

Wagamama will open its doors in Clarks Village on Monday, July 22, and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to try out the restaurant, with its menu based on Japanese cuisine.

After perusing the outlet's Haribo, Cadbury's, and Lindt stores, I beelined towards Wagamama with noodles on my mind. Wagamama is opposite FatFace, in the space that was formerly Jaeger.

We were warmly greeted and seated on a spacious high table with other pairs of diners, our drinks order was promptly taken. 

I enjoyed the Power Juice containing spinach, apple, and a ginger kick. Later I ordered a cafetière coffee, it was perfectly nice but frothy-coffee lovers should be aware that they weren't offering the coffee-shop-style foamy milk.

We ordered our meals and sides, opting for the 'shareable' mushroom and panko eggplant bao buns, £7.50, and the Roti and Raisukatsu, £6, a flaky flatbread with a katsu-type curry sauce.

I'd rate both dishes highly. The bao buns were freshly steamed and fluffy, complementing the fried panko aubergine that crunched inside. Wagamama's rotis weren't as doughy as I'd hoped, but they were perfect for soaking up the classic mild-curry katsu flavour of the raisukatsu.

Wagamama has a very systematic approach, with the servers writing down the corresponding menu numbers of the food items you've ordered on the paper placemat in front of you, presumably so you're served the right food.

Food is then delivered dish by dish as and when it is ready from the kitchen, which can mean that your side dishes come after the main meal.

All the dishes were served within 15 minutes, within a five-minute window of each other, so this wasn't an issue. You can find the full menu here, which is 50% plant-based.

For my main meal, I ordered the Salmon Teriyaki Soba, £15.20, which consists of noodles cooked in teriyaki sauce and curry oil with salmon, mangetout, bok choi, onion, chilli and beansprouts.

It was fresh with a well-balanced flavour, not too greasy, and not as sweet as some Teriyaki dishes you'll find at other restaurant chains. I added chilli oil from the table for some spice, but that's personal preference.

My fellow foodie friend Hattie, a former restaurant manager at the Newt, near Castle Cary, opted for the Tantanmen Beef Brisket, £14.50, a Korean beef brisket on top of noodles in a rich chicken broth.

She said the dish exceeded her expectations, with tender beef she much preferred over the chicken equivalent she'd ordered on previous visits to the chain.

Wagamama has created 60 jobs in the area, and it seemed to run a very smooth service with plenty of staff — including the two delightful servers we had, Emily and Beth.

We topped off the meal by sharing a Yuzu Basque Cheesecake, £7, which was baked, only slightly sweet, and had a light and crumbly texture with the Yuzu citrus sauce.

It was not quite as satisfying as the super-sweet chocolate and heavy-cream cheesecakes I'm too used to eating, but a tasty final bite of the meal nonetheless.

Although we managed to eat the equivalent of a three-course meal, we both felt able and ready to continue our shopping mission fully fuelled.

In my opinion, Wagamama's is a great addition to Clarks Village as it offers a healthy sit-down lunch option that the shopping outlet was previously lacking.

The price point may be too high for a grab-and-go lunch, but if you're making a day of your leisurely shopping trip, it's a great place to rest your feet and chat while watching the chefs work in the open kitchen.