WASHINGTON — What’s better than a big bowl of ramen? How about a basket of fried chicken to go alongside?
The team behind the popular D.C. ramen shop Daikaya opened its latest dining concept, Bantam King, June 10 in a former Burger King on G Street Northwest in Chinatown.
Unlike Daikaya, which serves up everything from shoyu ramen to miso ramen, Chef Katsuya Fukushima’s new restaurant puts a focus on chicken.
The menu includes dishes like Paitan ramen, which has a rich and creamy chicken-based broth, boiled chicken dumplings and a family-style plate of Fukushima’s interpretation of Japanese fried chicken.
There’s even Japanese potato salad to go with it, and plenty of Japanese beer and sake to wash it all down. (Vegetarians: No need to feel left out. Fukushima will also offer a vegetarian ramen option.)
Fukushima and business partner Daisuke Utagawa decided on a chicken ramen shop after making several trips to Japan and witnessing the dish’s rising popularity. The 1,700-square-foot space seats about 50 diners.
Bantam King is the Daikaya team’s third concept. The owners are also opening another ramen shop, called Haikan, in the Atlantic Plumbing development next to the 9:30 Club.
