Saki, Seafood and Ramen Oh My

Although Wara Wara might seem like an unusual name, there is a special meaning behind it. It means laugh or smile in Japanese, and water in Thai. Overall, a positive connotation of joy.

Wara Wara is the second restaurant venture for co-owners X Premwat and Kazu Kondo, who also own the Japanese restaurant Ebisu in Cranston. However, they’ve brought on Nick Mazonowicz of The Salted Slate as an additional co-owner of the Hope Street eatery. Wara Wara is heavily influenced by various Asian cuisines including Thai, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Referencing the Thai meaning of Wara Wara (water), many items on the menu are indeed from the water including oysters from American Mussel Harvesters in North Kingstown that can be topped with a traditional champagne mignonette or a twist on a classic – a garlic chili lime sauce.

Of course Wara Wara has Japanese favorites like ramen – five types to be exact. Premwat recommends newcomers try the Miso Ramen with pork, bamboo shoots, a marinated soft-boiled egg, spinach, shitake mushrooms and corn on top of noodles in a miso broth. The Pork Buns are a must try as well. But they also take American favorites like eggs Benedict and add Asian flair by topping it with salmon, ceviche and wasabi hollandaise on a steamed bun with a side of home fries during their brunch on Sundays.

Need something to wash down all that fusion cuisine? “People should also come for the sake,” says Premwat. “For someone who loves sake, they should try the Nama Genshu and Kobuta sake from Niigata, Japan. We are highlighting mostly cold sake because so many places do hot sake.”

But most of all, Premwat and Kondo wanted to come to the East Side because “the East Side knows good food. We wanted to have a restaurant in a neighborhood,” says Premwat. “A place where we could serve healthy, good food. I want everyone to be happy when they come to eat here and also experience a new kind of cuisine.” Sounds like they’re off to a great start, there may even be sake flights in the future. 776 Hope Street. 831-9272, WaraWaraRI.com