Global Japanese Brand Opening San Diego Outpost

An Eater reader helped us sleuth out what's coming into the former CrossFit East Village space just two blocks from the ballpark. The 6,800-square-foot building at 1220 J Street now belongs to Ramla USA Inc., the domestic arm of a Japan-based company with over 150 restaurants around the globe.

Ramla USA Inc. Director Yuji Ueno tells Eater that the company is still deciding which of their 32 restaurant concepts, which range from Japanese to Italian, French, Korean and Chinese, they'll bring to San Diego.

Ueno says they expect to have the concept pinned down by next month and are aiming to be open by October. He told Eater that it'll likely lean heavily on Japanese cuisine, with a focus on fresh proteins and produce, an envisions a "market concept where customers can see and choose their ingredients and then select their preferred cooking methods." Ramla's current U.S. restaurants are variations on Japanese izakaya called Oto Oto and Gyoro Gyoro.

The East Village building has a soaring, 20-foot-high ceiling, and Ueno says the restaurant's design will have an open feel to take advantage of the space and capitalize on San Diego's climate.
· Oto Oto [Official Site]
· All Coming Attractions on Eater [~ESD~]

[Photo via Google street view]