Fans of Maketto chef Erik Bruner-Yang’s ramen will have a new place to slurp noodles as of Monday, though not on H Street as one might expect. The former Toki Underground chef, who split with the ramen joint last month, is bringing his soups to the Whole Foods Foggy Bottom. His concept, Paper Horse, will be among the prepared food venues. Chef Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro also operates a counter in the section, where shoppers can get made-to-order dishes through electronic kiosks.
Though Bruner-Yang is known for super-porky tonkotsu ramen, the two varieties initially offered at the grocery store are designed to be lighter. The “all business” is made with a pork-chicken broth base, and topped with roasted pork belly and egg, while the “keeping it light” is wholly vegan and gluten-free, filled with veggies.
This isn’t Bruner-Yang’s first foray into retail–he also runs the Honeycomb Market at Union Market–or partnership with a national entity. The chef recently teamed up with Shake Shack for a limited-edition sandwich, and is planning a restaurant at the forthcoming The Line hotel in Adams Morgan.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
