Fire Forces Tori Ramen to Close

Late Wednesday night, a fire broke out in the basement of Tori Ramen, located just off Selby Avenue and Victoria in Saint Paul. The small restaurant specializes in Japanese soup made exclusively with chicken- and vegetable-based stocks. Owners Jason Dorweiler and Asiya Persaud said nearly every firefighter in the area was there to battle the flames. The cause of the fire was likely due to some old wiring in the lower level of the older building, which once housed Lee & Dee’s Barbecue.

The good news is that it looks like they will be able to rebuild. The bad news is that it will take at least several weeks.

Tori Ramen opened in October of 2016 as a small shop that specializes in pork-free ramen broth, using only non-GMO products. The restaurant debuted after a successful crowd-sourcing campaign, and the few seats soon became coveted places to perch during the winter.

• Tori Ramen [Facebook}
• All Tori Ramen Coverage [ETC]
• The Essential Ramen of the Twin Cities, Mapped [ETC]