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Ani Ramen House will open up a second location in Jersey City on April 24. (Courtesy Photo)
JERSEY CITY -- While the tables will probably still be packed and the line could still make its way out the door at Ani Ramen House in Montclair, hungry guests craving the restaurant's dishes will soon be able to go to a second location -- and not have to bring their own alcohol.
The restaurant will open a second location on April 24 at 218 Newark Ave. in Jersey City, near the city's Grove Street pedestrian plaza that contains some of the city's most popular restaurants. The new location feature a full bar and an outdoor patio area that can seat 30 to 40 people.
"Sometimes people just get too hungry," said Ani Ramen House owner Luck Sarabhayavanija, about the wait times at the Montclair location, which does not have a liquor license or take reservations. The Jersey City location will not take reservations, either.
"We are now going to have a bar that serves the full menu. Or you can come to the back patio and grab a can of sake or a skewer from our yakitori grill," he said. "That 40-minute wait now, isn't going to be 40 minutes of staring and starving anymore."
Sarabhayavanija said the restaurant has been in the works for a year. He originally wanted to open his first restaurant in Jersey City, but fiscally couldn't do it. With the success of the Montclair location, he said is looking forward to joining the diverse food scene in Jersey City.
The menu will be exactly the same at both locations, Sarabhayavanija said, centered around six ramen options, except the new location will have a signature ramen: Yuzu shio, a salt-based ramen in classic chicken broth with grilled chicken.
Sarabhayavanija said there will be a late night menu at the new location consisting of two ramen dishes, two bun options and wings. (The late night menu will be available until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 1 a.m. the rest of the week. The Montclair location is only open until 11 p.m. daily.)
For the bar, the restaurant is collaborating with Kenta Goto, a prominent New York City bar owner and mixologist. Goto's bar, Bar Goto, is a semifinalist for the Outstanding Bar Program award by the James Beard Foundation.
The new store will serve Japanese style cocktails and sake. Sarabhayavanija said Goto designed four signature cocktails and four highballs that compliments the food and atmosphere of the restaurant.
The outdoor patio will have sake and wine available by the glass and bottle. For quick bites, the outdoor space will have a yakitori grill, which will serve fresh meat and vegetable skewers.
The 2,000-square-foot space will have 110 seats between the dining area, bar and outdoor space.
New Jersey native and music producer Justin Smith, also known as Just Blaze, is one of Sarabhayavanija's partners in Eleven Hospitality, which Sarabhayavanija founded and oversees both Ani Ramen House locations.
Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jatmonavageNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.