TAMPA – Ichiban Sushi Ramen started out in Tampa back in 1986. They were just a sushi bar at the beginning, but as their popularity grew, the menu grew. With that growth came more customers and the best part, loyal customers.
Those loyal customers have followed Ichiban Sushi Ramen as they moved to a new location from Fowler Avenue to Florida Avenue in Seminole Heights.
What they’re saying:
“Ichibani in Japanese means number 1,” said Caroline Hung. She’s one of the founders of the restaurant. “We’ve been in Tampa for 39 years, since 1986, we started with a sushi bar.”
That was then. In July, Hung and her family moved the restaurant to a new location on Florida Avenue.
For the customer who hasn’t been to Ichiban before, Hung spoke of what to expect on the menu.
“We sell sushi and ramen in the heart of Seminole Heights,” she said, “We have a lot of sushi roll, we have a lot of sashimi, tuna, samon and yellow tail. We also have ramen and then Takoyaki, the street food.”
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They chose the location because of their loyal clientele. They even created a Seminole Heights Roll to mark the occasion.
Seminole Heights Roll courtesy: Ichiban Sushi Ramen
“A lot of our customers live here. We pick here because of history, and we have history here too,” she said.
The hope is that more people who head to Seminole Heights for the different eateries will discover them.
“We cook our ramen over ten hours. We make our own broth. We make our own meat and all the sides. We make in-house,” she said. “Customers actually know, they come once, and they taste the difference.”
To visit Ichiban Sushi Ramen in person, you can find them located in Seminole Heights just south of Hillsborough Avenue and north of Wilder Avenue at 5127 N Florida Ave in Tampa. Click here for their website and menu.
The Source: This story was written based on in-person interviews at Ichiban Sushi Ramen.
TampaFood and DrinkSeminole HeightsLifestyleHillsborough County