Toyo Ramen brings authentic Japanese cuisine to Ankeny

How it started: Toyo is his family name, Chompel tells Axios, and the restaurant reflects a lifelong passion for cooking that began in high school. Throughout his career, he worked his way up from busboy to line cook and then chef.

• Chompel, who lived in the Minneapolis area, was inspired by a Japanese chef he worked with to start his own ramen restaurant. He traveled to Japan to study cooking Hakata-style, also known as the rich, pork-based tonkotsu ramen.
• He recently moved to Ankeny from Bloomington, saying there's more space in the booming suburb to establish and grow a restaurant.

The menu: Ramens include tonkotsu, spicy miso and vegetarian options, at about $15 a bowl.

• He also offers tsukemen ramen — a dish where you dip the noodles into the broth.

• Other foods include donburi rice bowls and izakaya-style plates, like takoyaki and fried dumplings.

The intrigue: As part of his Tibetan background, Chompel says he wants to focus on compassion and helping others.

• On the first Wednesday of every month, he plans on cooking food and bringing it to people in need.
• "That's always part of my dream," he says. "That is something I want to do quietly and constantly."

If you go: 11am–9pm Monday–Thursday; 11am–9:30pm Friday; noon to 9:30pm Saturday; and noon to 8:30pm Sunday.

• 1615 SW Main St., #106, Ankeny