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Furious Spoon, Wicker Park Ramen Shop, Launches Kickstarter Campaign

By Alisa Hauser | November 20, 2014 5:50am
 Furious Spoon at 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Furious Spoon at 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave.
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DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser

WICKER PARK — Ramen lovers, rejoice.

Furious Spoon, a ramen noodle shop under construction inside the former Flat Iron Grill storefront, has launched a Kickstarter campaign with several perks for backers, include a noodle-making lesson and a chance to attend pre-opening dinners.

Set to open in February at 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave., the eatery, which will be made to resemble a traditional Tokyo-style ramen shop and offer an open kitchen where patrons can watch their food being cooked, is hoping to raise $15,000 by Jan. 17.

The extra money will help pay for enhanced design elements including lights, a speaker system, outdoor signage, rustic metal wall elements and custom spoons, a spokeswoman said.

(Visit Furious Spoon's Kickstarter Page).

Ramen originated in China but has been adapted over the years as a Japanese dish, with many variations of broths and noodles.

Though there are a smattering of ramen shops in other Chicago neighborhoods, Wicker Park has only one dedicated ramen eatery, Oiistar, which opened in December 2012 at 1385 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Watch the video, which stars Furious Spoon's Chef Shin Thompson as he impersonates his grandfather, who ran a Ramen shop in the 1960s in Northern Japan, here:


For Furious Spoon, Shin, who formerly worked at Boinsoree and Kabocha, teamed with partners Anshul Mangal and Mario Ponce from West Loop's Bar Takito and Takito Kitchen at 2013 W. Division St. in Wicker Park.

On Wednesday, Mangal said he selected the storefront in the iconic Flat Iron Building because of the location — just steps from the neighborhood's Milwaukee, Damen and North avenues intersection — and the ambiance of the unique corner building, which has artists studios above the ground level.

In the Kickstarter video, Thompson explains the restaurant derives its name from the "furious" speed that his grandfather commanded that his patrons slurp the noodles, lest the ramen become soggy.

Thompson recommends slurping the noodles in less than 10 minutes for the best taste. 

Furious Spoon will offer four types of ramen (vegetable, pork, chicken and a rotating special) as well as small plates and appetizers, with most bowls costing between $7 and $8, Thompson says in the video.

There will be also be a few Japanese beers and sake on a limited bar menu.

According to the Kickstarter project, the shop's approximately 1,300-square-foot interior "will be humble and inviting," seating just under 50 guests.

The interior will resemble a dive bar and "need to look rugged and somewhat dingy to reflect an authentic Tokyo-style ramen shop," the description says.

Furious Spoon, 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave., is targeting an early February opening. Hours will be 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. Follow Furious Spoon on Twitter, @Furious_Spoon or Facebook for updates.

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