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Noodlecat specializes in Ramen bowls.
(Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer)
WESTLAKE, Ohio -- West siders will soon no longer have to go downtown to get their Ramen fix. Chef Jonathon Sawyer is bringing his Japanese-inspired Noodlecat restaurant to Crocker Park in Westlake.
The noodle house is one of several new businesses coming to the lifestyle center next year, according to a release from Crocker Park. Starbucks, dog retail shop Oliver and Henry's and First National Bank will also set up shop in 2017.
They'll join recently opened Graeter's Ice Cream and 3 Palms Pizzeria and as well as Banyan Tree, a boutique based out of Tremont set to open its first west side location on Black Friday.
It's all part of a $400 million expansion that brought the American Greetings world headquarters and a Hyatt Place hotel to the sprawling complex.
At Noodlecat, diners build their Ramen dishes by ticking off their choice of noodle, protein and extras listed on a paper menu. There are also a variety of steamed buns -- think Japanese sliders -- filled with ingredients such as pork belly or tempura-fried perch as well as salads available.
Sawyer opened the first Noodlecat downtown on Euclid Ave. in 2011. With Ramen bowls starting at $10, it's the most casual and affordable among the James Beard award winner's restaurants, which also include Trentina and Greenhouse Tavern.