Corktown noodle spot Ima Izayaka reopens in bigger space with expanded menu

The wait is over for udon noodle fans.

Ima, the Japanese-inspired noodle spot in Detroit's Corktown, has completed its move to new digs and is open.

The move wasn't far, just across the street on Michigan Avenue and west of the first Ima location, which opened in late 2016.

Now called Ima Izakaya, the spot opened last Friday in the former Gold Cash Gold space.

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Ima Izakaya is three times the space of the former location with a larger dining area as well as kitchen space. There's also a full bar.

"The progression and timing were perfect because it allowed us to grow incrementally and be able to scale to this size space," chef-owner Mike Ransom said.

The new and larger space, Ransom said, allows for him and his team to explore and be more creative with new techniques and ingredients. Ransom said that moving to the new spot was a "natural progression that made a lot of sense because the first one allowed us to learn in a more manageable space."

"In order to keep exploring new experiences for our guests we needed more space," Ransom said.

Its new, expanded menu features about 40% of items carried over from and inspired by Ima's original menu along with a few additions.

"We have tweaked those items and the other 60% is all-new shareable items as well and items from our yakitori grill and fried items," Ransom said.

On the menu are its udon noodle soups, pan-fried Yaki udon, rice bowls, pho and more.

The cold and hot plates are a variety of items ($6 to $14) and enough for sharing, according to the menu. Cold plate items include Ima's house pickles, Hamachi crudo, chilled yuzu shrimp, beef tartar and chilled udon noodles.

On the hot menu, there are pan-roasted shishito peppers and a chicken karaage — pieces of chicken lightly breaded and karaage-style fried. A vegan maitake mushroom dumpling joins Ima's original shrimp and scallion dumpling.

Skewered and grilled items ($6 each) from a Robata grill, served only after 4 p.m., are a new addition.

The new Robata is a grill designed for high-heat cooking, reaching temperatures up to 1,700 degrees.

"This allows you to grill on skewers at a rate you can keep up with demand," Ransom said. "It seals in the juices of the items you are grilling, searing on the outside so it's juicy in the center."

There are a half-dozen offerings including a vegan option of asparagus and smoked trumpet mushroom, Kawahagi Triggerfish jerky, mini Kurobuta pork sausages and Tsukune chicken meatballs.

"The Robata grill menu was set so that we could encompass more than chicken," Ransom said. "That menu is going to be building and evolving into really fun bites that you can share with a group. Stuff that’s good with a beer or saki and sharing."

Much of Ima's beloved udon noodle soups and pan-fried yaki udon ($15-$17) menu items were carried over to the new spot with a few additions.

Udon soups with thick udon noodles in a flavorful broth feature a soft egg, scallions, wakame, crispy garlic, shallots and chili threads, according to its menu.

Its broth-less, pan-fried Yaki udons are still on the menu with the addition of a teriyaki and spicy kimchi Yaki version. The Yaki udon features market greens, shiitake, scallions, crispy shallot, chili threads, lemon and nori. With all udon, you can add a protein as an option.

"We refined our broth recipe and added miso yuzu broth udon and also a golden bonito dashi broth udon," Ransom said.

Added to Ima’s rice bowl lineup is a pork belly with kimchi and Japanese barbecue glaze. There's also a Japanese-style eggplant steak with a Japanese barbecue glaze over rice with avocado, kimchi and radish.

Ima's chef de cuisine is Kiyokazu Miura who, Ransom said, brings to Ima extensive experience in raw fish preparation. 

"He is bringing his techniques to the team and some of his creations are inspired are on the menu as well," Ransom said. 

Ima's new full bar and the cocktail menu include sake, wines, bubbles (champagne and sparkling wines), beers and low ABV cocktails and mocktails.

There's also a cold appetizer station at the bar that will feature chilled seafood, crudos, tuna, and beef tartar during the dinner service. 

There's seating for more than 80, including bar seating. There are another 40 seats on the covered outdoor patio along the Wabash side street and I-75 service drive that Ransom said is expected to be in use all four seasons.

Ima has locations in Madison Heights and Midtown. In 2019, Ima was named the Detroit Free Press Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Restaurant of the Year. Ransom also owns SuperCrisp, a Midtown sandwich shop open for about 6 months, where karaage-fried chicken sandwiches and burgers are a highlight as well as its Oki fries seasoned with chili and lime sea salt, topped with its Oki sauce, sliced ginger, scallion, nori, and kewpie.

 New to Ima is reservations through Tock.

Ima Izayaka, 2100 Michigan Avenue, is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ima restaurant in Detroit's Corktown reopens with new location, menu