A Ramen Restaurant Is Coming to Sunnyside

The corner of West 41st Avenue and Tejon Street already has one restaurant offering housemade noodles and glimpses of Japanese culinary technique: The Wolf's Tailor opened last summer, serving chef/owner Kelly Whitaker's brand of cooking inspired by the long history of food in both Italy and Japan. The block will soon have a more traditional noodle house, though, as Ramen Star is now under construction two doors down at 4044 Tejon Street.

Ramen Star received its liquor-license approval last fall and recently put up a patinated metal sign above the doorway that was previously the entrance to My Vision Nutrition (which moved down the street) and Big Country BBQ (which had a brief run in 2015) before that. Other recent businesses on the block include Necio Latin Eatery (where you'll find a great Sunday brunch) and Cherry Bean Coffee.
Ramen Star is owned by Takashi Tamai, a chef and businessman who says he has lived in Denver for nineteen years and has worked at several Japanese restaurants in the area. Tamai says he's in the process of hiring employees and finishing the interior of the restaurant and hopes to open in two to three weeks. "We will make traditional Japanese ramen, but will also be creating new kinds of ramen," he notes.

Ramen has made occasional appearances in north Denver, from the late-night noodle bowl that was once served at Brazen (and still makes occasional menu appearances) to the short-lived Kazan Ramen on Tennyson Street. South of 38th Avenue, diners keep packing the house at Uncle, and Sera's Ramen Enclave continues to impress in its hideaway on West 32nd Avenue.