As Menya Itto settles in, they’ll incorporate new ideas. When I visited, a server added risotto to the leftover tsukemen sauce, sprinkled Parmesan cheese over it, then torched it.

Menya Ultra continues to draw crowds for its award-winning ramen. Owner Takashi Endo has several successful ramen restaurants in Japan. In 2017, he opened his first US restaurant in San Diego.