Two outposts of a once fast-growing Japanese noodle chain have quietly slipped off the map in Metro Vancouver.
Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba, which bills itself as the world’s largest mazesoba chain, has lost its Richmond and UBC locations, both of which have dropped the Kokoro name.
If you have never had mazesoba, it is essentially a brothless ramen.
The noodles are tossed with a concentrated sauce pooled at the bottom of the bowl, and you mix everything together before eating, which is where the name comes from, since maze means to mix in Japanese.
Think of it as the dry version of ramen, where the flavour comes from the sauce coating each strand instead of a broth.
The chain says the method makes for a chewier, more flavourful noodle than a standard ramen bowl.
Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba started in 2013 in Japan and expanded aggressively across BC from 2018 on, peaking at 10 locations province-wide.
Lately, that map has been shrinking.
The locations have been leaving in one of two ways, either getting converted into a completely different restaurant by the local franchise owner, or quietly shedding the Kokoro name while staying open under a new one.
The Kitsilano location took the first path back in April, when it became The Hungry Duck.
The Kerrisdale location went the second way after what we understand was a franchise dispute, and now runs independently as Soft Spot Kitchen.
The two newest departures are in Richmond and at UBC.
The Richmond spot in Ironwood Plaza was rebranded to Nomoro in March, then changed again to Ku Tapas & Ramen.
The UBC location became DonZilla in April.
In both cases, it looks like the operators simply did not renew their Kokoro franchise license.
That leaves Kokoro with six locations around the region, including its downtown, Surrey, River District, Metrotown, and Brentwood spots.
There is some good news, though, for anyone worried the brand is on its way out entirely.
Back in February, we reported that Kokoro had announced a new location in the Park Road development at CF Richmond Centre.
For a while it looked shaky, since plenty of other chains had put up their coming soon signage there while Kokoro stayed invisible, which led to speculation that the deal had quietly fallen through.
In late June, though, we found signs of life.
The corner unit at 6533 Park Road is now papered up, with a City of Richmond restaurant building permit and a construction notice on the door listing Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba Richmond.
So that one, at least, is still happening.
It is a strange split-screen for the chain, pulling back in some neighbourhoods while quietly building in another.
Kokoro Mazesoba UBC and Richmond join other recently closed Metro Vancouver food spots like Pokey Okey Kingsway, Little Billy’s, and Hem377.
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Address: Former Kokoro locations at Ironwood Plaza (Richmond) and UBC