Kahiki Foods veteran brings ramen concept from Australia to central Ohio

Fukuryu Ramen has gone international.

The restaurant, founded in Australia, is scheduled to open Tuesday, bringing casual, homemade Japanese dishes to the growing Lane Avenue restaurant scene.

Fukuryu (pronounced foo-ku-ree-yoo) is one of a small but growing number of ramen restaurants in central Ohio.

Owner Jeff Tsao, who opened the original store two years ago in Melbourne, said he’ll put his noodle soup against the best in town.

“I think everyone’s savvy enough that they want to experience the real deal, foodwise,” he said.

Fukuryu, 1600 W. Lane Ave., takes over 1,450 square feet of space in a new development across from the Shops on Lane Avenue. The interior is bright and modern, with wooden tables and seats, white-and-red tile, an open kitchen, shiny concrete floors and a large dragon mural on the east wall.

Tsao said he plans to release the menu in phases. It will start out with four ramen soups using two types of broth: pork bone and chicken and fish. Likewise, there are four appetizers currently. Additional plates will be added to the menu during the second phase in two to four weeks, he said.

“Our philosophy is we want to do it right before we introduce the other menu items,” he said.

Ramen dishes are currently $10.90 each; starters are $4 to $7.

Vegetarians and vegans soon will have ramen of their own. All noodles are fresh and locally made.

Fukuryu, which seats 50, has a full liquor license.

Tsao’s central Ohio restaurant experience dates back to the Kahiki Supper Club, which his father bought in 1988 after the restaurant had been established many years earlier. His father, the late Michael Tsao, also founded what is now known as Kahiki Foods. Jeff Tsao is not part of the ownership but still serves on its board of directors.

Jeff Tsao later joined a business group that established a chain of ramen restaurants in Japan and Indonesia. The same group also is a partner in Fukuryu.

Tsao said he is looking at such areas as Easton and Clintonville to open additional restaurants. He said he hopes to have a lease signed for a second store by the end of the year.

The restaurant is open daily, with lunch hours from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tsao said the store closes between lunch and dinner but that will change to lunch-to-close hours in the near future.

For more information, call 614-929-5910.

Bethel Road restaurant

Shaista Grill Express is the latest restaurant to join the diverse culinary food scene of Bethel Road.

It replaces Baghdad Restaurant at 5230 Bethel Road. The Afghan restaurant specializes in charcoal-grilled meats, chicken, lamb and vegetables.

Mostafa Mohammad, who owns the store with Abdul Mansoor Ahmady, said each kebab is marinated for at least 24 hours. Each is handmade, including the chicken kubideh, which offers ground breast meat. A beef version also is available. There’s even a version of chicken tikka, cooked in the tandoor oven.

Most entrée platters are $12 to $14.

Mohammad said virtually everything is made fresh and in-house, including the French fries and naan, a flatbread that serves as the base of wrap sandwiches.

The restaurant offers counter-order service in a white tablecloth dining room that seats 40.

Shaista’s hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed Monday. For more information, call 614-326-0272.

Street Pub tour

Deschutes Brewery has its eyes on Genoa Park Downtown for its upcoming Street Pub tour July 9.

Joey Pleich, field marketing manager for the brewery based in Bend, Oregon, said Deschutes is now seeking the OK from the city of Columbus for the tour stop.

Columbus is one of six cities on the tour, launched last year. Cleveland was among the inaugural destinations.

New to Dublin

Openings in the Dublin area include:

• Tio’s Margaritas in the old Las Margaritas storefront at 5855 Frantz Road, offering Tex-Mex favorites, such as chimichangas, chiles rellenos and enchiladas, plus burgers, steaks and seafood dishes. Most entrees are $13 to $18.

• Greek Street, 5720 Frantz Road, has been opened by the owners of Curry N Grill. They have retooled their Indian restaurant to include a full Mediterranean menu, such as homemade kibbie, falafel, baba ghanoush and tabbouleh. Syeda Anzuman, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Syed, said the changes were based on customer response. Most sandwiches are $7; combos and platters cost around $10 and $13, respectively. The Curry N Grill menu is still available as well.

Dispatch restaurant columnist Gary Seman Jr. can be reached at onrestaurants@dispatch.com.

@ThisWeekGary