California ramen bar opening soon in Johnson County, with more on the way in KC area

Los Angeles-based Jinya Ramen Bar plans a mid-February opening in Overland Park’s Bluhawk.

The 3,000-square-foot restaurant, at 7761 W. 159th St., will have an open kitchen, full bar and patio. It will seat about 80 people inside, and 50 to 60 on the patio.

Menu items will include the Wonton Chicken Ramen (with chicken broth, wontons, spinach, green onion and thin noodles), and the Spicy Umami Miso Ramen (with pork broth, ground pork soboro, bean sprouts, green onion, bok choy, chili oil and thick noodles).

Under Chef’s Specials there’s the Miso Garlic Tan Tan (miso vegetable broth, pork soboro, bean sprouts, kikurage, green onion, chili oil, shredded dry chili and thick noodles).

Its chicken broth simmers for 16 hours, pork broth for 20.

Jinya’s plant-based offerings will include vegan ramen bowls, and Impossible tacos and rice bowls.

It also will have Brussels sprouts tempura, edamame, gyoza, mini tacos, salads, caramelized cauliflower, spicy tuna and salmon cones, pork spare ribs, Kobe hamburger steaks, takoyaki, panna cotta and more.

Drinks will include local craft beers, Japanese cocktails and whiskeys. The carbonated Toki Highball is served super-chilled from a dispenser.

Jinya founder Tomo Takahashi had restaurants in Tokyo before opening his first Jinya location in California about a decade ago. There are now 50 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Dave Sopark, who lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the area franchisee. He opened a Jinya in Tulsa in 2016 and then one in Oklahoma City in May.

“I got a chance to go to Kansas City before COVID and fell in love with it,” Sopark said. “It’s a nice town with a lot of things going for it.”

He plans to have up to four locations in the metro and is looking in the Country Club Plaza area, the Crossroads and Lee’s Summit.