Vancouver ramen restaurant closed, grab-and-go onigiri opened

The south side of the Cambie Street Bridge has lost another ramen restaurant, but now there’s a new option for Japanese food in the area.

After just one year at 545 W Broadway, Menya Juémon is no more. Instead, it has moved to a new concept that offers grab-and-go onigiri.

The new store is called Onigiri Ya.

“After a fantastic year of serving ramen to our wonderful customers, we are excited to announce that Menya Juémon is joining Onigiri Ya,” the company posted on Instagram.

The concept was developed over the summer and opened in September. Initially sharing space with Menya Juémon, it appeared at events such as the Main Street Car Free Day or the Dumpling Festival in Coquitlam, selling pre-packaged onigiri.

Last week, Menya Juémon announced it was closing and Onigiri Ya would take over the space on its own.

“We will offer fresh handmade onigiri daily, managed by the same team you know. It’s a convenient grab-and-go concept,” the announcement reads.

While that was the only location for the ramen brand, ramen dishes haven’t disappeared from Vancouver menus because it’s part of the Maruhachi Ramen family.

“Many of your favorite ramen dishes from Menya Juémon will be available as special menu items at select Maruhachi Ramen locations in Metro Vancouver,” the Instagram post reads.

Maruhachi Ramen has seven locations in the region, three of which are in Vancouver: in the West End, near the downtown library, and in Mount Pleasant.