LOWER EAST SIDE — One of Japan’s top ramen chefs hopes to open a new restaurant on Delancey Street by the end of this month, he said.
Shigetoshi Nakamura, who has been dubbed one of Japan’s four “Ramen Kings,” will open an eatery called Nakamura at 172 Delancey St., which will serve authentic ramen noodle soups made with fresh ingredients, he said.
“I want to bring the Japanese ramen culture to [the] United States,” said Nakamura, who previously operated Ramen Lab on Kenmare Street and worked as consultant for other ramen shops across the country.
Nakamura has also owned a restaurant called Nakamura-Ya in Japan for the past 15 years and helps operate and conduct menu development for a Tokyo ramen chain called Afuri, according to a beer and wine license application filed with Community Board 3.
“I’m very excited about opening a restaurant in the United States,” he said.
The menu includes various types of ramen bowls that start at $13, as well as other Japanese food items like gyoza and rice bowls that cost around $7, according to the application. Nakamura said he also plans to add seasonal items to the menu.
The 360-square-foot space will fit nearly 20 seats, he said. Proposed hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, documents show.
The restaurateur also hopes to serve a selection of local and Japanese beers as well as sake and red and white wines.
As part of the licensing process, Nakamura will go before Community Board 3’s SLA and DCA Licensing Committee during its Nov. 16 meeting at 59 E. Fourth St. at 6:30 p.m.
