After a month of permit-related delays, hotly-anticipated ramen joint Raijin Ramen announced it will open its doors at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23:
Raijin, named after the Shinto god of lightning, thunder, and storms, is the project of Ginza Sushi’s Jun and Diana Arai.
The restaurant at 2955 E. Speedway Blvd. previously housed Saga Restaurant & Sushi Bar, which closed in December 2016.
[01/25/2018 update]
We visited at noon and there was a ten-minute wait — don’t forget to write your name on the sign-in sheet.
The restaurant is mostly filled with four-top tables and booths with a handful of two-tops. The vibe is bright with friendly, attentive service. Guests can see Diana helping with the front of the house and Jun with his headband in the kitchen slinging out piping hot bowls of ramen.
Raijin Ramen Menu Highlights
- Black Roasted Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen ($10) – tokotsu pork broth, thin straight noodles, chashu, menma, seaweed, green and fried onion, tamago, pickled ginger, sesame seeds
- Spicy Miso Ramen ($12) – miso pork broth, medium curly noodles, chashu, menma, seaweed, green onion, corn, tamago
- Veggie Ramen ($10, vegan) – creamy veggie broth, medium curly noodles, zucchini, bok choy, green and yellow onion, seaweed, bean sprout, cabbage, onions, pickled ginger
- Seafood Ramen ($14) – tamari soy sauce flavored shrimp broth, medium curly noodles, shrimp, calamari, scallops, green and yellow onion, seaweed, bean sprout, cabbage, carrot
- Takoyaki ($5) – octopus balls
- Ankake Yakisoba ($15) – fried noodles, seafood, pork, veggies
- Unagi Don ($6) – grilled freshwater eel, green onion, sesame seed, rice
Raijin Ramen is located at 2955 E. Speedway Blvd. Operating hours are 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 – 9 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday, 4 – 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (520) 795-3123. Keep up with Raijin Ramen on Facebook.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
