Refining ramen on Capitol Hill: A decade of noodles, craft, and devotion at Ooink

(Image: Ooink) Ten years after launching their cozy Capitol Hill ramen spot above the Broadway and Pike QFC, Ooink founders Chong Boon Ooi and Jiaxin Wang are marking a decade in business. Before establishing the shop, Malaysian-born chef Chong logged 15 years in kitchens across Los Angeles, Paris, Las Vegas, New York City, and Hawaii before choosing Seattle as the permanent home to build his craft and raise a family. Rather than overhauling the menu to chase trends, Chong’s foundation has been meticulous refinement. As he told CHS about his culinary approach, We still try to refine what we do and achieve better. I don t like to create new dishes, I like to do what I do and make it better. The result is a noodle shop for noodle lovers. While people sometimes line up around the block for social media-driven ramen hype in the neighborhood, Ooink s success is about devotion and longevity. The focus has included small innovations over the years, from mala-spiced bowls to rich broths, sha