Red Light Ramen, the late night offering at East Side restaurant Ardent, is getting its own permanent space.
Ardent, the upscale restaurant run by James Beard Award-nominated chef Justin Carlisle, has offered the noodle dish from 11:30 p.m. to about 1 a.m. in the 900-square-foot Ardent space at 1751 N. Farwell Ave. for a couple of years.
But this morning, a sign went up on a new 800-square-foot space next door reserved especially for Red Light, which will now have regular dinner hours as well as its late night hours, Carlisle said.
The restaurant, located at 1749 N. Farwell Ave., was formerly occupied by juice bar Juiced!, which has moved to 640 S. Fifth St. in Walker’s Point. Carlisle plans to make some minor changes and install a small bar before opening the restaurant in mid-July. A staff artist will paint graffiti on the walls and the lighting will be dim, like the current Red Light atmosphere.
Red Light Ramen will have seating for 16 to 20 people. And Carlisle also has plans to further utilize the additional space.
“It will be a usable space where it will have its own area, kitchen-wise,” Carlisle said. “That way we can do private parties when we’re not doing Red Light out of it.”
Red Light also recently launched a mobile food truck to serve other areas of the city. Carlisle, who will continue to oversee both restaurants, has been testing recipes for the permanent Red Light on the food truck.
“I think it’s time for Red Light Ramen to have its own space,” Carlisle said. “It’s been very popular and we’ve had a steady line and fullness for going on two years now.”
