We’re still not sold on Forbes‘s recent claim that Navy Yard is one of the “coolest” neighborhoods on the entire planet, but it is about to get a little bit cooler. The crew behind hip DC ramen shops Daikaya, Bantam King, and Haikan will open their fourth restaurant—Hatoba—in Navy Yard this winter.
Like Haikan and Daikaya, Hatoba will serve its own variation of Sapporo-style ramen. Given the waterfront locale, chef Katsuya Fukushima is looking to include some fish in the tare, or the sauce that give the stock its taste. The ramen bowls will continue to incorporate noodles custom-made by Nishiyama Seimen Company in Sapporo, Japan.
The exact menu is still in development, but it will likely be limited to ramen (including chilled versions) and gyoza dumplings. The 50-seat restaurant and 30-seat patio will also have Japanese beer and an “abbreviated” cocktail selection.
The name Hatoba is Japanese for “dock”—an apt name given that the restaurant will be housed in a former manufacturing building for Navy ship boilers. The decor will draw inspiration from a Japanese supply warehouse where boats might unload goods, as well as the Kappabashi, or “Kitchen Town,” area of Tokyo where you’ll find all sorts of cooking equipment and serving dishes. Kappabashi is also known for vendors selling plastic food replicas, which Hatoba will have on display. Edit Lab at Streetsense restaurant designer Brian Miller—who’s behind the looks of the group’s other three ramen shops—will also incorporate memorabilia from the Nippon-Ham Fighters, the baseball team of Sapporo. Hatoba is blocks from Nationals Park, after all.
Although the restaurant isn’t supposed to open for several months, it will still serve Japanese-inspired hot dogs and Sapporo beers from July 13 to 17 in honor of the MLB All-Star Game. The “pop-in” will be located in Hatoba, which was previously home to Spanish mini-sandwich chain 100 Montaditos. That means the team already has a kitchen and, yes, air-conditioning ready to go—just don’t mind the Spanish photos still on the walls.
Hatoba. 300 Tingey St., SE, #170.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
