NEKOJITA RAMEN

Nekojita (猫舌) is a Japanese idiom that translates to “cat’s tongue.” It's an endearing slang term for someone who can’t quite handle their food piping hot. I first heard the name in Miyazaki, Japan, and the delicious irony stuck with me: how clever would it be to name a noodle shop for that exact feeling of anxiously waiting for a steaming bowl of ramen to cool down just enough? During my travels, I found that some of the most satisfying meals came from street vendors and late-night convenience stores. Those simple snacks, served on paper plates or meticulously wrapped in plastic, brought me a ridiculous amount of joy.

This is our personal love letter to the noodles, street food, and convenience store culture of Japan, remixed with twists from my Southern and PNW upbringing, other travels and built around some beautiful, local ingredients. Our bar program will feature premium spirits, seasonal and local ingredients, inspired in part by Japanese izakayas, and brought to you by the team at Hogwash.