Authentic ramen bistro concept continues brand momentum in Houston with new restaurant openings in Katy, Sugar Land and Nassau Bay
HOUSTON, TX – March 2017 – AGU, a ramen bistro, ended 2016 with three debuts, including 1809 Eldridge Parkway in the Energy Corridor, a restaurant/commissary on 9310 Westheimer in the Westchase District and a third at 7340 Washington near Memorial Park. The expanding ramen restaurant announces the opening of three new locations in March and April, to satisfy the ramen craze in Houston. The Sugar Land location at 2130 Lone Star Dr. and Katy location at 514 So Mason Rd. are slated to open mid-March, and Nassau Bay at 1360 NASA Parkway is scheduled to open in early April.
“Houston residents have been great supporters of AGU Ramen, and we’re very excited to continue to introduce our ramen to the surrounding communities,” said Chef Hisashi Uehara, owner and chef of AGU Ramen. “Customers at the new locations can expect to find the same authentic ramen and traditional Japanese dishes that have made our other three locations a success.”
AGU Ramen’s plans to launch more outposts throughout central and suburban Houston in 2017 and is also scouting sites around Texas. What makes Uehara’s pace unusual, even in Houston’s fast moving commercial retail/restaurant market, is his team’s ability to transform second generation spaces for operation in less than a month from lease to opening.
Chef Uehara’s approach to making AGU’s ramen, the restaurant’s signature, relies on time-honored and time-intensive mastery rarely utilized in the current wave of ramen fast casual restaurants. To create AGU’s signature, creamy, tonkotsu broth, more than 1,560 pounds of pork bones are slowly boiled at an extremely high heat in 80 gallon Japanese kettles, each costing upwards of $25,000. All of AGU’s dishes are made from scratch, and the majority of ingredients are imported from Japan.
The new locations will feature the same menu with more than 20 different ramen varieties. Standout selections include the Original Kotteri, Tan Tan Tonkotsu, Yuzu Jidori, and AGU’s Savory Parmesan, a twist on the Original Kotteri topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese. With equal emphasis on ramen and a variety of Asian offerings, AGU’s Houston menu comprises a variety of small plates, mains and dishes created specifically for the local market.
As a backdrop for AGU’s fare, each of the new locations – averaging approximately 2,500 square feet – will feature more modern design elements than the original Houston locations. The contemporary decor still incorporates Japanese design elements like geometric lattice work. An accent wall will be painted in “AGU” red while the rest of the interior will incorporate monochromatic colors of white and light gray with black accents. Each location’s dining room holds approximately 60 seated with accommodations that include a community table, booths and four tops. Sugar Land and Katy will offer beer, wine and sake while Nassau Bay will feature a full bar.
ABOUT CHEF HISAHI UEHARA
Chef Hisashi “Teddy” Uehara was born in Okinawa, Japan, spent his teen years in Honolulu, Hawaii and studied international business at El Camino College. It was in Los Angeles that then 19-year-old Uehara began learning the history, fundamentals and techniques of Japanese cooking, including sushi, tempura and kaiseki, as an apprentice of authentic Japanese chef, Yoshi San. The position he held through college began with the basics – dishwashing, sharpening knives and cutting negi – but slowly blossomed into further engagement in the kitchen. After graduation, he entered the business world, working in the apparel, real estate and investment realms. While he found fast success, the call of the kitchen resulted in the 2007 opening of his first restaurant, Shin Yakitori, which kudos as the city’s best spot for yakitori from the Los Angeles Times. Galvanized by the momentum, Uehara opened the first authentic Okinawan Izakaya – Shin Okinawa Dining – with locations in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as well as Lomita Diner, a Hawaiian deli and BBQ, also in LA. Honolulu came calling in 2009, and Uehara returned to the island to join one of the most esteemed Japanese restaurant chains in Hawaii: Gyotaku. Then, in 2013, Uehara opened his first AGU location on Oahu, where he began serving his signature, superior ramen.