Bright, friendly, futuristic.
Those are just three of the words that Yelpers have used to describe Asoul Ramen, which opened late last year in the Capital City Mall complex.
According to regular customer Jennifer Wei, you should add the word, “delicious.”
Wei, of Carlisle, stops by whenever she is in Camp Hill with her husband. She’s tried a variety of dishes and recommends the black garlic tonkatsu shoyu ramen and the spicy beef ramen. She’s also a fan of the popcorn chicken and bao but especially enjoys the Japanese street food known as “takoyaki,” a rolled dumpling with octopus in the middle.
“I order them every time,” she said. “They’re that good!”
Asoul Ramen is the brainchild of a veteran restaurateur, known simply as “Chi,” who has worked in the industry for 18 years. Looking younger than his years, Chi felt it was the right time to launch his own venture.
A Lancaster resident, Chi found the Camp Hill region lacking in ramen places and set about to change that. He explained that one thing that sets his ramen apart is the time his staff takes to prepare the broth.
“Our broth is simmered slowly for 14 hours to enhance its depth and richness,” he said.
Guests can choose from a variety of broths, including chicken, beef, vegetable and seafood. For those who enjoy variety, there’s always something new on the menu.
“I challenge my ramen chefs to come up with five new dishes each month—like our General Tso’s chicken ramen, which is a recent addition,” Chi said.
Not a ramen fan? No problem. The menu offers plenty of other options, from crispy fried calamari and pan-fried gyoza to chili garlic edamame and bao—hot, pillowy steamed buns filled with pork or chicken.
Sushi lovers also will find much to enjoy. Popular choices include the “Summer Breeze,” hand-crafted with lobster salad, spicy crab and asparagus and topped with strawberries, and the “Heavenly Green Dragon” with spicy tuna, avocado, tempura shrimp, yellowfin tuna, tataki, fish roe, jalapeno and fish sauce.
“I also challenge my sushi chefs to create two new rolls each month to keep things fresh,” Chi said.
Matcha drinks, gelato and cakes round out the menu, including a many-layered, moist matcha cake.
“It’s truly a gem of a restaurant that doesn’t disappoint,” Wei said.
The Design
During the planning process, Chi took great care in crafting the look of the 80-seat space. He had an idea in mind then enlisted a New York-based restaurant designer to bring the project to life.
“I like to travel and have been to ramen houses in New York, Tokyo and [elsewhere in] Japan,” he said. “I gave him photos of traditional ramen houses, and he did a 3-D rendering.”
The result is impressive. A large, faux cherry tree takes center stage in the reception area, drawing guests in as they are led to their seats. In the heart of the restaurant, a gold pagoda surrounds the open kitchen, with a backlit, two-tiered hexagonal honeycomb seating area. Looking up, illuminated paper fish appear to be swimming while suspended from the ceiling.
In keeping with the contemporary vibe, Chi also has leaned into a modern point-of-service system where customers select their meals, pay and even flag down a server—all through an iPad.
Wei likes the seamlessness of the high-tech system.
“It’s a fantastic touch, allowing me to add to my order without having to flag down a server,” she said.
Chi said that people have learned about the restaurant mainly through word of mouth, which has slowly built momentum since opening last fall.
“People are still discovering us,” he said.
Asoul Ramen is located at 3505 Capital City Mall Dr., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.asoulramen.com.
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