Credit: Kyuramen
The recipe of honest ramen, affordable dishes and dynamic Asian-inflected design is proving an unstoppable force for Gary Lin, founder of the American ramen chain Kyura Men. Lin now has locations across the country, and his new California dining room, open since 7 February, is a good reason for Angelenos to drive out to Arcadia, outside Pasadena.
The interior is inspired by purveyors of Japan’s three ramen styles: Kyushu shio, Tokyo shouyu and Hokkaido miso — the foyer is designed around a ramen cart on wheels, paper lanterns hang in orderly pairs, and ramen masters cook inside a central bar surrounded by dining stools. But Lin’s designers have amped up the look with atmospheric recessed lighting and hexagonal pendants throughout the room. There are private dining pergolas in natural wood, some with temple-style canopies and others privatised with bowed vertical slats. A rattan swinging chair hangs from chains beneath a red-lacquered arch.
At the rear of the double-height space is a two-tier ‘honeycomb’ of dining booths, reached by a bifurcated staircase and lit from within. And at the centre of the room is a giant ‘wish tree’ adorned with votives, where guests are invited to clip written missives like blossoms. There’s a private dining room onsite where quieter types can hide away. Yet the main thrust of the place is serving students and workers in need of an affordable place to gather for a meal. Prices top out at $22 for a souped-up miso ramen bowl with pork, shrimp and scallop.
