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- Spicy miso ramen with pork
Perry and Neil Farr have been making ramen at their poke bars, the Scale, for four years. This week, they are launching a restaurant devoted to the Japanese noodle dish.
Onsen Ramen opens at 137 Pearl Street in Essex Junction on Thursday, December 15. The restaurant occupies the former Essex Junction location of the Scale, which closed earlier this year. The original Scale in Williston remains open daily with its popular poke and acai bowls.
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Onsen's ramen-focused menu features options that regulars will recognize from the Scale's past ramen offerings, including shoyu chicken, spicy miso with pork, and vegetarian — all made with fresh noodles. The dedicated space will allow the Farrs to include two or three gluten-free ramen options; kids' ramen with broth and noodles; new toppings such as roasted and grilled pork belly, miso butter, and jammy eggs; and beer, wine and sake.
The Farrs adapted their ramen dishes into takeout kits at the Scale, which doesn't have much seating. Onsen will offer takeout and delivery via DoorDash, as well as seating for 25 in its newly revamped space.
"We did a pretty good job of tweaking it, figuring out how to take it to go," Perry said. "But we're excited to put hot, steaming bowls of ramen in front of people and have them enjoy it how it's intended."
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- Shoyu chicken ramen
The couple originally planned to open a ramen restaurant two years ago, Neil told Seven Days. Because of the pandemic, they paused the idea and considered turning their Essex Junction location into a commissary kitchen. But that idea "never really took off," Neil said.
"Now the ramen finally has the space it deserves," Perry said. "We're not just trying to fit it into the corner of another restaurant."
Onsen is open Wednesday through Saturday, 4 to 9 p.m., beginning December 15.