Ramen Tatsu-ya plans to hold the official opening for its south location Jan. 25 at 1234 South Lamar Blvd. The Japanese restaurant, started in fall 2012 by chef Tatsu Aikawa in collaboration with his younger brother Shion Aikawa and chef Takuya Matsumoto, operates a Northwest Austin location. Shion, the restaurant's director of operations, said the new location will feature an open kitchen and aim to serve customers south of Lady Bird Lake. "In order to meet the demand, we decided to open up a shop that has more seats. So, more seats, in turn, will make the line go faster [and] serve a lot of our customers faster," he said, noting the new restaurant has 72 seats, compared with the 45 seats at the north location. The South Lamar dinner menu will feature popular menu items including Tonkotsua noodle dish made with pork bone broth as well as Tonkotsu Shoyu, Misonot/Misohot and Tsukemen, according to the company. All the ramen dishes incorporate the pork bone broth, which is made daily, Shion said. "We are celebrating that one pot of broth," he said. Also on the menu will be local and Japanese draft beers, sake cocktails, and small bites. In 2015 the restaurant plans to consider expanding its hours of operation at both restaurants and possibly add more small bites to the menu on a seasonal basis, Shion said. The restaurant's interior design will feature a minimalistic Japanese-themed decor, a dragon mural, barstools and communal tables, according to the company. Hours of operation have not yet been announced. More information about Ramen Tatsu-ya and the restaurant's menu are available at www.ramentatsuya.com.