New restaurant The Escape is looking to open at 540 Ninth Avenue, according to recent community board filings. The restaurant is slated to take over the space formerly home to Tabata Noodle Restaurant.
The Escape will be a ramen and izakaya restaurant, serving authentic ramen and other Japanese small plates. Proposed menu items include appetizers like karaage, edamame, shrimp and tofu; various noodle dishes; and fried rice and onigiri.
The owners are Kiyoyuki and Hanako Sumida. They have experience operating ramen restaurants in the U.S. and Japan. Kiyoyuki spent time as manager at local spot E.A.K. Ramen.
Plans call for 15 tables that will seat 30 as well as one bar that will seat eight. The proposed hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
As of now, an opening timeline remains unclear. Efforts to reach the ownership team for comment were unsuccessful.
