Whether it needs it or not, the nation’s capital has a new ramen restaurant. Jinya Ramen Bar has opened a location in DC’s Logan Circle neighborhood at 1336 14th Street NW.
It had a soft opening last week and held a grand opening today complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, door prizes and other fun activities throughout the day.
The first Jinya was born in Los Angeles, and there are now multiple locations across the US and throughout Canada. This is the restaurant’s second location in the DC metropolitan area. Jinya’s first east coast restaurant opened in Fairfax’s Mosaic District in June 2016.
“We’re so excited to bring Jinya to DC where diners have adventurous and sophisticated worldly palates,” remarked General Manager, Hoang Nguyen. “We, at Jinya, strive to move ramen beyond the tag of a ‘trend’, creating a permanent place for itself in the District.”
Inspired by Jinya founder Tomonori Takahashi’s experiences with both Western and Eastern culture, the restaurant specializes in authentic Tonkotsu ramen boasting bold flavors and a wide variety of customizable options for the American palate. The food preparation process includes simmering the broth for more than 12 hours to enhance the flavor.
Patrons will find the option of five broths as well as different tares and oils that alter the flavor profile of each dish. With various noodle types (thin, thick, extra thick, and spinach) and more than 25 different toppings to play with, diners are able to highly customize their experience.
In addition to Tonkotsu, ramen offerings such as the Wonton Chicken Ramen, Spicy Umami Miso Ramen, Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen, and the “Cha Cha Cha” for garlic lovers are available. Other Jinya favorites also available include Salmon Poke mini tacos, Jinya Bun, Brussels Sprouts Tempura with truffle oil, Takoyaki, Jinya Quinoa Salad, various rice bowls and curry — to name a few. To end the meal on a sweet note, guests may select from dessert offerings such as the Green Tea or Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream, Panna Cotta and Green Tea or Triple Berry White Chocolate BlockPops.
Check out the full menu.
Jinya’s beverage program including local craft and Japanese beers, Japanese-inspired cocktails, sake, wine, and seasonal, house-made, non-alcoholic beverages. A rotating wine and rotating sake will also be available on tap. Food and drink happy hour specials are being served Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The new location has 4,000-square-feet of space with a rustic-chic design by LA-based Ikedo Design and D.C.-based Grupo 7. It spans two floors and contains seating for up to 100 guests along with a ten-seat full bar and an upstairs patio. The second floor is also available for private events.
Jinya is open daily for lunch and dinner (Sunday-Thursday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.). There are also plans to add a weekend brunch menu in the near future.
