Neotokyo, a Japanese noodle bar with cyberpunk vibes, is coming to Montreal this winter

While restaurateur Yann Lévy's proud of his past achievements—the Japanese snack bar Hanzo Ikazaya, the Havanan spot Escondite, poke bowls by Koa Lua, the izakaya Biiru, Gokudo's cocktail bar and the bubble tea of Boba Boba—his latest project could be deemed his dream restaurant: Neotokyo, a Japanese noodle bar with cyberpunk vibes that's opening (hopefully) in downtown Montreal this winter.

"I've always wanted to make a noodle bar with futuristic Blade Runner and Akira vibes," says Lévy as he shows Time Out Montreal several mood boards, logos and designs that he's been keeping on his phone for nearly 5 years.

Lévy explains that the project officially began in 2018, but due to business development—as well as the last 19 months—has delayed it into the last third of 2021.

The restaurant, located on the first floor of 425 Viger West on the boundary between downtown and Old Montreal, promises am atmosphere with a cyberpunk design—something Levy admits to being a fanatic for.

Considering his deep love for Japanese cuisine, Neotokyo represents the fusion of his passions.

"The idea is to focus on a small menu where we know where all the ingredients come from," says Yann. "The menu is already done: We will have five bowls of mazemen, three ramen soups and four side dishes with a very minimalist drink menu."

He'll source as much as possible locally, from the vegetables to the meats that will garnish the ramen and mazemen (ramen without the broth). He's entrusted the noodles to renowned New York chef and noodle expert Shigetoshi Nakamura of Nakamura Ramen and Niche restaurants to create part of the menu.

The 2,500-square-foot space will be open for lunch and dinner with the hope of attracting customers from nearby offices, but part of the kitchen will be closed to make room for variations of the Neotokyo concept with ghost kitchens and other pop-up events.

As for when can we expect to slurp Neotokyo's cyberpunk noodles? "Definitely at the beginning of 2022, including a soft opening towards the end of 2021," Lévy says.

For now, you can stay up to date on developments by following the restaurant's Instagram account.