Cumberland County new ramen restaurant is well received

If you’re a ramen aficionado, Asoul Ramen in the Capital City Mall might just become your new go-to spot.

The restaurant is the brainchild of a restaurateur, known simply as “Chi,” who has worked in the restaurant industry for 18 years and decided recently the right time to launch his own venture.

A Lancaster resident, with his finger on the pulse of the local dining scene, Chi found the Camp Hill region lacking in ramen places and set about to change that. It’s been several months since the grand opening of Asoul Ramen and business remains brisk.

“People are still discovering us,” Chi said.

The Décor and More

Chi is also in tune with what resonates with customers when it comes to décor and almost everyone agrees that the design of the restaurant is not only unique, but also attractive.

A large, faux cherry tree takes center stage in the reception area, drawing guests in as they are led to their seats only to discover there are more visual delights awaiting in the heart of the restaurant. A gaze upwards reveals illuminated paper fish which appear to be swimming while suspended from the ceiling, while a gold pagoda surrounds the open kitchen. Two-tiered hexagonal honeycomb seating area is backlit to ensure that every photo snap is pleasing to the eye.

Chi attributes his eye for design to his excursions.

“I like to travel and have been to ramen houses in New York, Tokyo and Japan,” he explains, adding that he enlisted a New York-based restaurant designer to bring the project to life.

“I gave him photos of traditional ramen houses and he did a 3-D rendering,” explained Chi.

The custom-made furniture was then manufactured in China and shipped to the restaurant, which seats 80.

The Menu

Chi explains one thing that sets his ramen apart from others and that’s the time his staff takes to prepare the broth.

“Our broth is simmered slowly for 14 hours to enhance its depth and richness,” Chi said.

Guests can choose from a variety of broths, including chicken, beef, vegetable, and seafood.

For those who enjoy variety, there is always be something new on the menu.

“I challenge my ramen chefs to come up with five new dishes each month – like our General Tso’s chicken ramen, which is a recent addition,” Chi said.

The menu also offers plenty of other options, from crispy fried calamari and pan-fried gyoza, to chili garlic edamame, and bao–hot, pillowy steamed buns filled with pork or chicken.

Popular sushi choices include the Summer Breeze, hand-crafted with lobster salad, spicy crab and asparagus and topped with strawberries and the Heavenly Green Dragon with spicy tuna, avocado, tempura shrimp, yellowfin tuna, tataki, fish roe, jalapeno and fish sauce.  “I also challenge my sushi chefs to create two new rolls each month to keep things fresh,” said Chi.

Matcha drinks, gelato and cakes round out the menu like the many-layered moist matcha cake that is positively crave worthy.

In keeping with the contemporary vibe, Chi has also leaned into a modern point-of-service system where customers select their meals, pay and even flag down a server—all through an iPad.

Customer praise

Jennifer Wei is a regular customer who lives in Carlisle and stops by whenever she is in Camp Hill with her husband. She’s had the opportunity to try a variety of dishes and recommends the Black Garlic Tonkatsu Shoyu Ramen and the Spicy Beef Ramen. She’s also a fan of the popcorn chicken and bao, but especially enjoys the octopus balls.

“I order them every time- they’re that good!” she said.

Wei likes the seamlessness of the iPad system.

“It’s a fantastic touch, allowing me to add to my order without having to flag down a server,” she said.

Chi said that people have mainly learned about the restaurant through word of mouth and is hoping that the momentum will continue as more people discover Asoul Ramen.

“It’s truly a gem of a restaurant that doesn’t disappoint,” said Wei.

Asoul Ramen is located at 3505 Capital City Mall Drive in Camp Hill. Learn more by visiting the website at https://www.asoulramen.com/.

Stephanie Kalina-Metzger is a freelance writer.