It's been over a month and a half since a small fire closed Tempe's Umami restaurant. Originally, owner Jared Lupin expected to reopen in under two weeks but that didn't happen, obviously.
The good news is the wait is finally over. The restaurant will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 15, for the first time since the fire.
See also: Umami in Tempe Is One of The Hottest Ramen Shops in the Country Right Now, According to Eater
Immediately after the fire, owners and chefs Lupin and Rebecca Noorda asked diners to prepurchase bowls of ramen in lieu of making cash donations. If you did so, you'll be able to get your bowl following Thursday's reopening.
During the day, 20 percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Tempe Fire Department's charity of choice.
In addition to the familiar lineup of ramen and bento boxes, the restaurant will also be debuting daily chef's specials including cold noodles in ramen, rice and buckwheat varieties, seared fish dishes, and seafood poke.
The fire -- which happened overnight on March, 19 -- was started by a small motor inside the ramen shop's ice machine and caused fire, smoke, and water damage to the restaurant. In addition to closing down the ramen shop, it caused the evacuation of about about building 60 residents. The restaurant is located on the backside of the Brickyard building off Mill Avenue, inside The Center, a brownstone-style mixed-use complex at 21 East Sixth Street.
For more information about Umami check out the Umami website.
