Japanese Ramen and Izakaya Combo Heading to Hillcrest

Ramen Ryoma, a new two-story Japanese eatery combining ramen with the yakitori and other small plates found at a traditional izakaya, is in the works for University Avenue. Chef/owner Yoshinari Ichise told Eater that the restaurant is currently scheduled to open in mid-November. Ichise is also longtime resident and restaurateur in Las Vegas, where he runs a Hachi Japanese Izakaya, Sushi Twister and Ramen Sora, which has since been franchised in the Philippines.

Ramen Ryoma’s menu will be a cross between the small izakaya plates from Hachi and Ramen Sora, which specializes is Sapporo-style miso ramen. It will feature a long-simmered pork bone broth which gets mixed with a miso base that is sautéed in small 12-serving batches, giving the broth a deep and distinctive flavor. Ichise says the pork belly that tops the ramen has the ideal ratio of fat and lean, resulting in melt-in-your-month meat, and the signature “temomi noodles” are hand-massaged for an uneven, wavy texture and resilient bite so that they don’t get soggy in soup. Shio and shoyu-based ramen will also be available. Ichise says that if all goes well, he may consider opening other izakaya and ramen outlets around town.

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The flagship Ramen Ryoma opened last year in Southwest Portland and made Eater PDX’s list of top ramen shops. Ichise’s partner in the San Diego branch owns the site in Hillcrest, which was once slated to be an outpost of JINYA Ramen. Ramen Ryoma’s modern 2,800-square-foot glassed-in spot has an upper level loft that will be used as a bar area offering 10 craft beers on tap and a variety of sake. The larger building next door was to house an izakaya-style sister restaurant to JINYA but will now be a new cafe, roastery and educational hub for local Better Buzz Coffee Roasters.