New Japanese ramen eatery in Cambridge to open in April
Good news for all Japanese-food lovers in Cambridge, WakuWaku Ramen and Sake is bringing its innovative ramen culture to Harvard Square.
Tucked into a row of shops and eateries on Brattle Street, WakuWaku’s new location will officially open around late April, giving Cambridge students and residents another ramen option, along with the Boston Ramen Company and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka.
WakuWaku means “pleasing” or “thrilling” in Japanese, and the company’s mission is to use innovative ingredient combinations in a cozy atmosphere under neon lights for its customers.
Unique dining style
Rachel Blumenthal, the editor of Eater Boston, is a ramen lover who’s visited many ramen shops in Cambridge. She found that ramen restaurants all have their unique dining style.
“The Boston area’s ramen restaurants do try to make an art form out of focusing on one or two regionally specific styles of ramen,” Blumenthal said. “Some focus exclusively on Jiro-style ramen, while some other focus on creating a Japanese eating environment for their customers.”
More:‘Warm Hearts for Warm Feet’ part of Cambridge’s focus on unhoused residents
WakuWaku’s menu offers a large variety, from classic miso ramen and kaen spicy ramen, to some unexpected combos, including curry ramen and tom yum ramen.
Liz Koh, the hostess of WakuWaku Chinatown, Boston, said her team likes providing a mash-up of American and Japanese cuisine.
“Wakuwaku’s new ramen choices will provide a different ramen experience to our guests,” Koh said. “We’ll try to pursue Japanese culture in Harvard Square, and we are very happy about the new opening.”
Koh said the creative ingredient combinations at WakuWaku help the restaurant stand out from its competitors.
“If you look at our menu, the ramen we offer isn’t always typical ramen,” Koh said, scanning down the menu. “We also have shoyu, curry, and kokonattsu. I think it is those ramen options that stand out for WakuWaku because it is not something provided in other places.”
Don’t forget about the sake
WakuWaku is also a good place for people to enjoy a bottle of sake. The restaurant will provide seven different kinds of sake, along with a handful of sides, such as takoyaki, gyoza and duck buns.
More:Inman Incubator gives artists a chance to show their goods in Cambridge
WakuWaku Boston changes its menu every couple of months and Koh confirmed that WakuWaku Cambridge would operate in the same way.
“We will first look at our customers’ feedback and then try to see how we can fit into the taste of our customers by creating something new,” said Koh.
WakuWaku’s opening will provide a new dining place for Asian students in Cambridge, bringing more Japanese culture to Harvard Square.
“Ramen shops go where students go. So I’m not surprised to see other independent ramen shops and chains seeking to open in and near Harvard Square,” Blumenthal said.
Ramen lovers’ paradise
Tiancheng Zhou, a junior at Harvard, comes from Shanghai, China and has a lot of friends who are ramen lovers.
“Almost every Asian I’ve met at Harvard is interested in Japanese foods and ramen shops,” said Zhou. “Our school’s dining halls don’t provide us with authentic Japanese foods, so we are happy to see more ramen shops opening around the campus.”
”I think WakuWaku will succeed in Harvard Square,” she said.
More:Cambridge RISE: Empowerment through choice
Zhou said she often enjoys Thai and Chinese food with her friends on weekends, and WakuWaku’s opening gives them another good place to hang out in their spare time.
“If WakuWaku’s foods are at reasonable prices,” said Zhou, “my friends and I are very willing to try the ramen there.”
Luo is a journalism student writing as part of a collaboration between the Cambridge Chronicle and Boston University.
