A group of men who learned to cook authentic Japanese cuisine while working together at a wasabi bar in Wyoming are bringing their expertise and unique offerings to the Midwest—starting in Hutchinson.
Koi Ramen & Sushi will open on May 18 at the former Oliver’s at 925 Hutchinson E. 30th Ave.It opened for soft opening on May 11.
Part-owner Nelson Zhu said a new location will also open June 8 in Salina, a smaller location at 3015 S. Ninth St., and a new location in Wichita on July 18, which is a larger location at 2401 N. Maize Road .
Zhu, 37, and his four partners currently operate restaurants in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Grand Junction, Loveland, Colorado, and Fort Collins, Colorado.The restaurant in Wyoming and Grand Junction has the same name as the restaurant in Hutchinson, but the others have different names.
“We drove to find the Kansas location,” Zhu said.”Hutchinson was our first stop. We saw the building and met our landlord, who gave us space.”
As the name suggests, the menu will feature ramen-style meals and sushi.It will also offer yakitori appetizers.
Chu said ramen is cooked in an authentic Japanese style, a type of wheat noodles cooked in a long simmered meat or vegetable-flavored broth.The restaurant’s dishes are mainly based on chicken, beef and pork, with some seafood and vegetables.
Their sushi will be more in line with American tastes, he said.It will include traditional salmon, tuna, yellowtail and eel, but with a saltier and sweeter taste.
“We used authentic and traditional ideas to create our new style,” Zhu said.”The key is in the rice.”
Koi, a fancy carp, is in their name, but it’s not on the menu, although it’s in their art.It’s a recognizable word for their name, Zhu said.
Yakitori is skewered meat grilled over a charcoal fire and seasoned in a multi-step process, he said.
There will be major Japanese, American brands and some local beers.They will also serve sake, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.
The team, led by Zhu and partner Ryan Yin, 40, has transformed the space over the past two months.They transformed it from a Western-themed sports bar into an Asian-themed open-plan restaurant, with blond wood walls, black high-top tables and booths covered in colourful Asian art.
The restaurant seats about 130 people, including a back room that may be open on weekends or large gatherings.
They bought some new equipment, but the kitchen was mostly ready, so the remodel would cost about $300,000, Zhu said.
Initially, they will have 10 employees, Zhu said.They are training chefs at a restaurant in Colorado.
The partners are all Chinese and have been engaged in Japanese cuisine for more than 10 years, developing their own tastes.
“This type of restaurant is very popular in big cities,” Zhu said.”It’s growing in popularity in the Midwest, but there are no ramen shops. We want to bring it to the locals.”
“Our prices will be very reasonable because we want more customers than a small, exclusive restaurant,” Zhu said.”And we want to be here for 30 years or more.”
Post time: May-18-2022