By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new restaurant specializing in ramen and Korean fried chicken will open Friday inside the former Five Guys near Perryville and Mill roads.
Ryusei Ramen and Izakaya, 611 Highgrove Place, will start with a limited menu and reduced hours during its soft opening. Owner Scott Souvannasane has been working on the restaurant for months, and had to change locations earlier this year. He said even there’s more to do before the full experience is ready, customers have waited long enough.
“A lot of people have been wanting us to open, and I want to meet their expectations. It’s just going to have to be slowly,” he said. “I’m pretty confident the food will be good, but it’s just those small steps at a time until we get to full operation.”
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For now, the restaurant will offer pork and chicken ramen and Korean fried chicken with a house-made spicy gochujang glaze or sweet and savory soy sauce garlic glaze. Everything from the sauces that top the crispy chicken legs and wings to the broth and noodles is made from scratch in-house. It’s all made fresh to order.
The full menu will include meat skewers, donburi rice bowls and Korean corn dogs. There will also be Japanese beer such as Kirin Ichiban and mixed drinks once the restaurant obtains its liquor license.
“Probably by New Year’s we’ll have everything on the menu,” he said.
Souvannasane is a Rockford native and 2006 graduate of Auburn High School’s gifted academy who has worked with his family in the restaurant industry for years. This is his first solo restaurant.
His parents opened a Charley’s Cheesesteaks franchise at the CherryVale Mall in 1999. They opened their second location on Walton Drive in 2009. He’s worked at both restaurants and was a cook at Kuma’s Restaurant in downtown Rockford.
The restaurant is self-service. You order from the front counter and pick up your tray when your number is called. You can also order online and dine-in or carryout.
The restaurant was initially slated to open in the former KFC and Long John Silvers on East State Street, but it relocated after the deal fell through with the landlord. The Five Guys space was vacant after the restaurant relocated to 6820 E. State St.
Souvannasane hopes his restaurant will inspire other chefs and grow the foodie culture in the Rockford area.
About | Ryusei Ramen and Izakaya
Where: 611 Highgrove Place, Rockford
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. (Hours will eventually expand after the soft opening to 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday)
On the web: ryuseiramen.com
Social media: @ryuseiramen on Twitter; You can also find them on Facebook
Compiled by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas