REVIEW: I ate at a new Northampton Asian restaurant that claims to be 'better than Wagamama' – here’s what I thought

I went and ate at a Pan-Asian restaurant which recently opened in Northampton and claims it’s better than Wagamama – here’s what I thought.

Chi opened up on the ground floor of Sol Central in April this year, and although it was quiet at first, it has recently been picking up more and more trade.

Speaking to the Chron earlier this year, general manager of the site, Hong Hy, said: “It’s better than Wagamama. It’s not the same. Their food and our food is not the same. The stuff we do is a bit different.”

Hong kindly invited me down to try some food and experience the venue first hand, so I did.

First off, the restaurant is huge, seating around 150 covers, with an abundance of natural light coming in through the large windows complimented by the clean environment.

Welcomed in by friendly staff, we were sat down by the window looking out on to busy traffic in Horsemarket. I like to watch the world go by so it was fine by me but others may not be too keen on the dreary views.

With a very large menu and a limited experience with Pan-Asian food, we trusted the waitress with our orders who recommended we get a few plates each.

I’m always a little sceptical of tapas because the portion sizes are usually small, the costs are normally quite expensive and you’re not sure you’re going to leave full up.

After messing about with the light on the table which changes colours and allows you to set the mood a bit, our food came out all at once, as expected. What a feast.

We had the katsu curry, Korean chicken, crispy duck, Gyoza, boiled rice, Korean beef tacos and a waffle and ice cream dessert.

It was nice to share plates and compare, making it a sociable experience. Each dish went down a treat. My personal favourite would be the Korean chicken and the roast duck, which would have cost you £21 for those two plates.

The service was impeccable, the staff were friendly, knowledgeable and attentive and the food was delicious. What more could you want.

I’ve been to Wagamama once about five years ago and don’t remember what I had, so on that basis, and my lovely experience at the venue, I would have to agree that Chi is in fact better than Wagamama.

Just to add, there are discounts available for students and NHS workers.