Cospa Ramen, a new all-day fast-casual concept from HAND Hospitality, opens Thursday, August 13 at 36 West 26th Street in Manhattan's Flatiron district. The restaurant occupies the former Nomad location of Okonomi/Yuji Ramen, which has closed.
The concept specializes in ultra-thin noodle ramen inspired by worker stalls in Nagahama, a district of Fukuoka known for a lighter tonkotsu broth and rapid service. Nagahama ramen originated at yatai street stalls near the Hakata fish market, where the kaedama system — ordering a second serving of noodles for the remaining broth — was created to feed market workers quickly.
Cospa Ramen joins a portfolio that includes Ariari, Hojokban, and Samwoojung under the HAND Hospitality umbrella. The name derives from the Japanese term "cost performance," signaling a value-oriented positioning in a neighborhood dense with Japanese dining options.
The opening arrives amid a cluster of Japanese noodle concepts entering New York. Redwhite Boneless Ramen, a vegan chain from Japan via Boston, targets a soft opening August 7 and grand opening August 20 in the East Village. On the Upper East Side, restaurateur Massimo Lusardi plans Koakuma, a 19-seat counter-service spot described as "New York Japanese," at 1491 Second Avenue. Meanwhile, Soba Ulala, Chef Hirohisa Hayashi's casual soba conversion of his 13-year-old namesake restaurant, has recently debuted in Soho with cold soba priced at $65 for uni and ikura.