Tokyo's famed Ramen Nagi will soon open its first San Diego branch and fifth U.S. location.
Founded as a pop-up in Tokyo, Japan in 2004 by then 27-year-old Chef Satoshi Ikuta, Ramen Nagi now has nearly 40 locations around Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines. In 2013, Ramen Nagi won a Ramen of the Year award in its home city of Tokyo. The company now has U.S. locations in Palo Alto, San Jose, Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles, and Westfield Santa Anita mall in Arcadia, CA. This month, the company will unveil its 5th U.S. branch in the space next door to Raised By Wolves in Westfield UTC mall in San Diego's University City area of La Jolla.
Known for customizable bowls with vibrantly colored broths (like black squid ink and spicy red), Ramen Nagi offers an interactive ordering system. Customers fill out an order form choosing from a list of broths, including original, black king squid ink & black garlic, red king spicy broth, veggie kind, green king basil broth, or a special "limited king" broth, which has been served as over 1,000 varieties. Patrons then choose either the chef's recommendation for ingredients or customize their bowls with strength of flavor or the broth, richness of oil, thickness of noodles, cut of pork, and choice of vegetables, as well as their desired spiciness level. Ramen Nagi also offers a range of Japanese appetizers like gyoza, chickan karaage, edamame and more.
Ramen Nagi will open on Tuesday, August 8, at 4301 La Jolla Village Drive within Westfield UTC by year's end. For more information, visit ramennagiusa.com.
