Growing ramen and Korean fried chicken empire adds two new locations

A new outpost for Menya Ramen has opened in Grange Hall, the 13,000-square-foot upscale food hall that turned on the lights in 2021 in Greenwood Village. This is Menya’s fourth location on the Front Range, with two others in Denver and one in Colorado Springs.

Menya serves traditional Japanese and Korean-inspired starters, ramen and bowls, including fan favorites Kimchi Ramen with spicy chicken and spicy miso broth; the Tako Yaki, a traditional Japanese fried octopus fritter; and Bibimbap with Korean BBQ beef and vegetables.

The opening comes just a week after Menya’s parent company, Seoul Hospitality Group, opened the latest version of Mono Mono in Lakewood’s Belmar. Mono Mono Go Go, at 450 S. Teller St.,  is a fast-casual version of Mono Mono’s other three locations in LoDo, on East Colfax Avenue and in Lafayette. The Lafayette store also includes a brewery that makes beer for the others locations.

Mono Mono has been making a name for itself with Korean fried chicken and other Asian fusion dishes like bulgogi nachos and kimchi fries.

Seoul Hospitality Group owner JW Lee has been a chef and restaurateur in the Denver area since the 1990s, when he came to the United States from South Korea at the age of 27. But the number of restaurants and concepts he owns has expanded rapidly in just the past three years.