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Japanese restaurant to fill space of closed Budai Gourmet Chinese
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The space previously occupied by beloved restaurant Budai Gourmet Chinese has welcomed a new tenant, but it may be a while before its doors are opened to the public.
That tenant is Aji Ramen, a Japanese ramen and sushi joint that hopes to fill the gap its predecessor left behind. Aji Ramen owner Riwei Zhang told the Journal that the timeline for opening is between three and six months.
“In that area, I didn’t find any Japanese ramen,” Zhang said of his decision to start the venture.
Zhang, a Santa Fe resident with nearly 20 years of experience in the food industry, also owns Tokyo Cafe in Santa Fe and Yoshi Mame in Albuquerque. Zhang said the Budai owners are his friends and had called him numerous times, boasting of the space’s “good location.”
Zhang said he signed a long-term lease for the Far North Plaza space at 6300 San Mateo NE earlier this month.
Budai Gourmet Chinese, which first opened around 2010, announced that it was closing about a month ago — sparking disappointment from members of the Facebook group Albuquerque Foodies.
Aji Ramen will offer ramen, a sushi bar and different varieties of teriyaki, Zhang said. The owner said business hours have not been set, but he expects the restaurant to be open six days a week.
