The kids at UC Irvine are getting a ramen place to replace their old noodle spot. Signs for Yushoken Ramen recently went up in the space once occupied by Asia Noodle Cafe, the 19-year-old Asia Noodle Cafe restaurant that closed earlier this month. Yushoken will also offer sushi and sake and is set for a early 2014 opening.
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This is the latest of several openings and closings (some tragic, some less tragic) in the University Town Center. A Tender Greens is currently under construction to replace Britta's Cafe, a Chik-fil-A is being built in place of Lee's Sandwiches, and Steelhead Brewery, home of $5 Tuesday pizzas and cheap Monday tacos (also the place I spent my first birthday away from home), is closing. Recent openings include Berkeley Dog (pretty good), Salad Republic (meh), Snoflakez (just reopened), Blaze Pizza (s'cool), Del Sushi (del for delivery), Wetzel's Pretzels, and Yogurtland (this one's reaching a little far back).
There is already one Yushoken in Arcadia, and the listed contact for the restaurant is an employee of Gatten Sushi USA, who run (you guessed it) Gatten Sushi. The Irvine Gatten Sushi location is less than a mile away from UTC.
Is ramen and sake going to win over the college kids and the worker bees in University Tower? Guess we'll find out soon.
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