Brandon Bortles and Abejas chef de cuisine, Max Kofoed, (both born in Golden) opened a new ramen eatery called Nosuin late 2019. “Nosu,” is short for “hachinosu,” the Japanese word for “beehive.” Bortles and Kofoed, who previously worked at the acclaimed Cholon Modern Asian in downtown Denver, plan to serve a menu of both traditional and non-traditional ramen bowls, plus gyoza, yakitori and several other small plates, bento boxes and cold noodle dishes.

Nosu Ramen: Finally, after getting chased out of the cocktail bar by the uninvited partiers, we walked over to a small ramen/Asian-food shop just down the street. Having had ramen all over the US, and in Japan, I wasn’t expecting much, but this place really surprised me. All the food that I had was great (including a second dessert for the day), and I found the atmosphere of the shop to be very comfortable and calming.

Bortles is now known for his finer dining restaurant, Abejas, but he is about to open another destination in the neighborhood: Nosu Ramen. And he’s partnering with Noah Heaney, of Golden’s Miners Saloon, on both projects. Bortles says he wants to see more diverse food and drink offerings spread across Golden’s walkable streets, and “if no one else is going to do it, we’ll just do it ourselves,” he said with a laugh.

Many Golden restaurants and breweries are pet-friendly, such as Cannonball Creek Brewery, where you can sample a wide selection of craft beers, while Golden’s Nosu Ramen serves up authentic Japanese fair on their pup-friendly patio, making it an excellent destination for furry visitors and their owners alike.

Although co-owner Brandon Bortles now spends much of his time at his other nearby eatery, Nosu Ramen, his tight-knit team creates an instant sense of community once you step inside Abejas.