The Thai Basil branch at 540 East Alameda Avenue closed a year ago, with a sign in the window indicating that the place would reopen in the spring after a renovation. That never happened, and the building sat empty for the remainder of 2016. But a sign just went up indicating that there's a new tenant: My Ramen 2.
This is the second location of My Ramen & Izakaya; the original is at 3280 28th Street in Boulder. Owner Daniel Lim says the Denver menu will be very much the same as the one at the Boulder restaurant, with miso, shoyu and curry ramen bowls, along with tantanmen, vegetarian ramen and hiyashi chuka (chilled ramen). Izakaya plates include okonomiyaki (in case you've been on the prowl for this rare Japanese omelet), grilled skewers and various fried bar bites, from tofu squares to burdock root to mackerel. Rice and noodle bowls round out the entree options. Lim also mentions that new customers can receive 5 percent off their dinner tab by signing up for the restaurant's e-mail newsletter on the My Ramen 2 website.
My Ramen 2 is open daily for dinner from 4:30 to 10 p.m. and for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.