Japanese ramen franchise opens in Sarasota

A Japanese ramen franchise has opened up a location in Sarasota as part of a recent expansion effort.

The Sarasota location opened in November on North Tamiami Trail near the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and Ringling College of Art and Design, according to a December statement from Kyuramen. Spanning 3,200 square feet, the new restaurant features 78 seats and eight private dining rooms.

This is the third restaurant for the team behind the Sarasota franchise; they also own Chinese restaurant Dim Sum King near University Town Center and another Dim Sum King in Fort Myers.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Kyuramen to the Sarasota community,” Jun Ma, the Sarasota store owner, says in a statement. “Our close proximity to the bustling downtown area, local colleges and the airport makes this location ideal for both residents and visitors. We look forward to offering our signature ramen dishes in a welcoming and accessible environment.”

On the Kyuramen menu are ramen dishes, appetizers, rice burgers and desserts. Some of its bestsellers are the Tokyo Tonkotsu Shouyu ramen (Chashu pork, half marinated egg, corn, bamboo shoots, wakame, scallion and pork broth) and Yinyang bowl (Chashu pork, shrimp tempura, scallop, baby corn, half marinated egg, naruto maki, bamboo shoots, corn, scallions and pork broth). Bubble tea drinks are also available from Kyuramen’s sister brand, TBaar.

Kyuramen now has three restaurants in Florida; the others are in Orlando and Jacksonville. The Sarasota location is at at 3232 N. Tamiami Trail.

The franchise included more than 30 locations across the United States in November, according to a statement from Kyuramen. It has 42 locations around the country as of Dec. 6, with plans to reach 50 by the end of the year.