'Thank you for being part of our journey': Vancouver ramen shop transforms into grab-and-go onigiri store

The south end of the Cambie Street Bridge has lost another ramen restaurant, but now there's a new option for Japanese food in the area.

After just a year at 545 W Broadway, Menya Juémon is no longer in business. Instead, it's transitioned into a new concept offering grab-and-go onigiri.

The new store is called Onigiri Ya.

"After a fantastic year of serving ramen to our wonderful customers, we are excited to announce that Menya Juémon will be transitioning to Onigiri Ya," states the business on Instagram.

The concept was developed over the summer and opened in September, initially sharing the space with Menya Juémon and popping up at events like the Main Street Car Free Day or the Dumpling Festival in Coquitlam, selling pre-packaged onigiri.

Last week, Menya Juémon announced it was closing and Onigiri Ya would be taking over the space alone.

"We’ll be offering freshly handmade onigiri daily, operated by the same team you know. It’s a convenient grab-and-go concept," reads the announcement.

While that was the only location for the ramen brand, its ramen dishes haven't disappeared from Vancouver menus, thanks to it being part of the Maruhachi Ramen family.

"Many of your favourite ramen dishes from Menya Juémon will be available as special menu items at select Maruhachi Ramen locations across Metro Vancouver," reads the Instagram post.

Maruhachi Ramen has seven locations in the region with three in Vancouver: in the West End, near the downtown library, and in Mount Pleasant.