Boxer Ramen

Boxer(originallyBoxer Ramen) was a small chain oframenrestaurants in thePortland, Oregon metropolitan area, in the United States. Micah Camden and Katie Poppe opened the original 30-seat Boxer Raman indowntown Portlandin 2013, followed by a second in January 2015. Matt Lynch and Chris Thornton later joined as partners. Boxer Ramen opened third, fourth, and fifth locations in 2016, 2017, and 2018, respectively.
All of the restaurants closed temporarily in 2020 as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic. Two of the outposts were converted into other restaurants operated in part by Camden, and two reopened in 2022 and were rebranded as Boxer.A third Boxer opened inBeaverton'sCedar Hills Crossingin December 2022. The company declaredChapter 11 bankruptcyin February 2024. In April, Camden announced plans to close all restaurants permanently after service on April 28.
Boxer (originally Boxer Ramen) was a small chain offast casual restaurantsin thePortland metropolitan area. The original 30-seatramen shopwas located in Union Way,a multi-use retail "alleyway project" in the space formerly occupied byRed Cap Garage,indowntown Portland'sWest End.It was described as a "sister restaurant" to Boxer Sushi, opened by Micah Camden insoutheast Portland'sHawthornedistrict in 2012 and closed in September 2014.Portland Monthlysaid of the original location's atmosphere and interior: "Micah Camden's neo-pop noodle house looks like a ramen shop designed byLucky Peachmagazine.Wu-Tang Clanbumps from the sound system and an entire wall is clad in a mural of three cute but devilish Japanese girls hovering over a chicken, pig, or tuna leaping from aramenbowl."
Three additional locations opened. Their interiors featuredpop artdecor.The restaurant on Albert Street features "utilitarian plywood decor" and umbrellas hanging from the ceiling,an alley spray-painted gold,and a mural described as "drawings of animal-people eating bowls of animal-people, like an anime episode ofBoJack Horseman".Alexander Basek ofFood & Winesaid of the interior: "Boxer's generous use of hot pink and unfinished plywood for decor bestows Boxer's small interior with a work-in-progress vibe."
The original restaurant accepted cash only and did not offertake-outcontainers, as of 2013.
When it opened, Boxer Ramen's menu featurednoodle soupswithnoodlesmade by Sun Noodle Company and two types ofbroth: spicymisoand tonkotsu-shoyu.Within a year, two additional ramen options were added:shiitake, featuring amushroom-pork bonedashi, andvegetarianyellowcurry, withcoconut milk, corn,stock, andtofu. Other soup ingredients includedpork belly, scallions, and softpoached eggs.Rotatingside dishesincludedJapanese pickles, ohitashi spinach salads,okonomiyakitater tots,pork belly bunsandpot stickers.Mochi ice creamshipped fromBubbiesinHonoluluwas available fordessert; flavors included passion fruit.The fourth Boxer Ramen location added a bowl withshort ribsto the menu, along with cocktails, including aMoscow muleandyuzu-infusedgin and tonic.
Micah Camden announced plans to open Boxer Ramen in April 2013.In August, he and co-owner Katie Poppe confirmed plans to open in late September,but there were some delays while the restaurant offered "soft openings" and "test dinners".October 9 was later announced as the opening date,but this was pushed back to November 1.Boxer Ramen hosted a "ramen free-for-all" on October 31, offering guests bowls at no cost from noon to 3:00 pm.The restaurant celebrated its first anniversary by offering half-price bowls from noon to 9:00 pm on November 1, 2014.
Boxer Ramen opened a second location innortheast Portland'sVernonneighborhood, at the intersection of 21st Avenue and Albert Street in theAlberta Arts District,in January 2015.Camden and Poppe had applied for aliquor licenseby November 2014.The opening kicked off with a ramen bowl giveaway on January 22, and the restaurant initially operated from noon to 10:00 pm.It closed at 9:00 pm on all evenings, as of 2016.
Thesoft launchfor the third restaurant, housed in a space previously occupied by the Two Tarts Bakery at the intersection of Northwest 23rd Avenue and Kearney Street,in the city'sNorthwest District,was held on March 25, 2016. Camden and Poppe had applied for a liquor license for the restaurant by November 2015,and were joined by new co-owner Matt Lynch.Similar to the promotional giveaway for the original location, Boxer Ramen offered free ramen bowls on site from 4:00 pm–7:00 pm.The Northwest District restaurant has a 28-seat dining area with an additional 8-seat counter. It offers a similar menu as the first two locations, operating from noon–9:00 pm on weekdays and from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekends, as of 2016.
The trio opened a fourth location alongEast Burnside Streeton December 1, 2017, slightly later than the previously announced opening date of October 15.Boxer Ramen hosted a similar on-site ramen giveaway on November 30. The 40-seat restaurant had a slightly expanded menu, cocktails, andhappy hourfrom 10:00 m to midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.The restaurant was the largest of the Boxer Ramen locations.
Plans for a fifth location in theWestmoreland,district of southeast Portland'sSellwood-Morelandneighborhood were confirmed in 2018.In January 2018,Portland Mercurysaid construction had recently begun on the 32-seat restaurant and anticipated a start by the summer season.
Boxer Ramen supported Family Meal, a nonprofit organization supporting "food service and agricultural workers in need in a medical debt crisis", as of 2019.In addition to Camden, Poppe, and Lynch,Chris Thornton was named a co-owner of Boxer Ramen in 2020.
When theCOVID-19 pandemicprompted GovernorKate Brownto close indoor dining, Camden gave teams at all restaurants the choice of temporary closure or continuing as a take-out service. The Boxer Ramen teams elected to pause operations altogether.In September 2020, Camden said of the closures: "Boxer Ramen has always been one of my favorite restaurants. I have five locations. But nobody in the world orders ramen to go."The Burnside location had closed by August,and was converted into Rock Paper Fish, a seafood chain by Camden, Craig Peterson, andNdamukong Suh.By July,the Sellwood restaurant was converted into a second location forBaes Fried Chicken,afried chickenoperation by Camden with Suh. Some Boxer Ramen staff continued to work at the satellite Baes, and new employees were hired as well.
In 2022, the Northwest District restaurant reopened at a new location in theSlabtownarea. It and the Alberta location were rebranded as simply Boxer. The Slabtown restaurant's menu was expanded to include servingsushi,sashimi,sake, and cocktails.
A third Boxer opened atCedar Hills Crossing, inBeaverton, on December 2, 2023.The outpost's expanded menu includes  bento boxes withteriyakichicken, ahi tunapoke, pork katsu, and kalbi teriyaki. Drinks include saki, craft beer, Orion, and teas.
In February 2024, Boxer declaredChapter 11 bankruptcy, citing heavy debt caused from the COVID-19 pandemic.Two months later, Camden announced plans to close all Boxer restaurants permanently after service on April 28, citing the pandemic and inflation as reasons.In August 2024, a group of Boxer employees announced plans to launch Fat Kitty Ramen in two former Boxer locations.An outpost of the California-based gluten-free bakery Kirari West later operated in the space that had housed the 23rd Avenue location.
Following the opening of the original restaurant, Michael Russell ofThe Oregoniangave Boxer Ramen a "B" rating and called the restaurant a "small step forward" for the city's ramen scene.He described thetonkotsubroth as "a salty Japanese carbonara" and deemed the dish Portland's best ramen. Russell also called the okonomiyaki tater tots a "cross-cultural stroke of genius".He later included Boxer in the newspaper's list of the 21 "most painful" restaurant and bar closures of 2024.Willamette Week's Martin Cizmar said Boxer Ramen "delivers quick, hard jabs" and called the restaurant Camden's "greatest creation yet" (in addition to Boxer Sushi, his other projects have includedBlue Star DonutsandLittle Big Burger).Portland Monthlysaid the spicy red miso ramen "has addictive potential" and recommends the passion fruitmochi, described as "creamy and softly fruity, a Dreamsicle reborn".
The Oregonian's Samantha Bakall wrote, "The hip, Southwest Portland ramen-ya is known for its tonkotsu broth, arguably the best in Portland right now. Boxer was one of our favorite ramen shops of 2014."She also included Boxer Ramen in her 2014 list of "50 great Portland-area restaurants where you and a friend can chow down -- and maybe even have a drink -- for under $50".In his review, Ben Waterhouse recommended the pork-bone,shoyu, and tonkotsu broths, and wrote, "nowhere in town offers a bowl more like that you're likely to find after a long night of drinking in Shibuya".
Chris Onstad of thePortland Mercuryrecommended the tonkotsu-shio ramen in his 2014 review, and complimented the service staff for being "quick, remarkably knowledgable, and friendly to the point of actual charm". He did, however, criticize the restaurant for accepting cash only, and wrote:
In 2016,Willamette Weekstaff recommended the Northwest District restaurant during neighborhood visits,and Aaron Mesh questioned the Alberta restaurant's relatively early closing time. He wrote, "The puzzling part of a high-gloss take on the Tokyo ramen counter is that it closes at 9 pm. The starter menu ... would be impossibly popular at last call." Furthermore, he opined, "Camden's little big touches remain deft, even as he makes Portland look increasingly like a cartoon."The newspaper's Elise Herron ranked Boxer Ramen number six in her 2019 list of the "seven best places to get tots" in Portland, and wrote, "Seafood lovers will appreciate the fish flake-topped tots with sides of tonkatsu and creamy-spicy sauce."Boxer Ramen won in the "best ramen" category inWillamette Week's2016 "Best of Portland Readers' Poll",and was runner-up in 2017 and 2020.Portland Mercury'sJenni Moore wrote in 2019, "Boxer Ramen's cool little space on Alberta has purposely exposed-but-glossed-over plywood walls, some pleasant mural art, and an only slightly alarming taxidermy raccoon riding in a canoe... They get extra points for bumping rap from the likes of Big K.R.I.T. and 2Pac, because yes, hip-hop does make my plant-based ramen more enjoyable."
Fodor'shas described the original location as "often crowded and convivial",andThrillistsaid: "This place is all about creating a dish, executing it well, and selling it for a decent price in a good environment. Nestled at the front end of Union Way plaza, this place has been the best place to get ramen in Downtown since its opening, and a great place to stop for post-shopping lunch."Zagatgives Delta ratings of 4.0 for food, 3.9 for decor, and 4.0 for service, each on a scale of 5. The guide said, "Fans find extreme umami at these no-nonsense Japanese from Micah Camden ... that offer a simple menu of great, rich ramen plus a few side dishes; the compact spaces are not a place to go with groups, but speedy, solicitous service ensures a noodle-icious experience that hits the spot."