Now Open: Ninja City in Market Hall at Van Aken District

Co-owner Dylan Fallon Credit: Douglas Trattner

It’s been six months since partners Dylan Fallon and Bac Nguyen announced their plans to open a Ninja City outpost in the Market Hall at Van Aken District in Shaker Heights. As of yesterday, July 31, the restaurant is officially open.

“This is something we’ve been after for a few years, so we’re very happy that we’ve been invited in,” says Fallon.

It took this long to convert the former Domo Yakitori and Sushi space in the corner of the main hall to Ninja City because the new owners opted to completely redesign the layout. Whereas the predecessor enjoyed a large dining area and a petite kitchen, Fallon and Nguyen flipped the script.

“We took the dining space and turned it into a cooking space because we wanted to bring as much of our full menu as possible,” he explains.

While much smaller than the flagship pub in Gordon Square (6706 Detroit Ave., 216-862-7200), the Shaker location features a large percentage of the menu. On the roster are snacks like pan-fried gyoza, spring rolls and togarashi tots; noodle soups such as pho, ramen and spicy red curry; Ninja classics like steam buns, banh mi sandwiches, lettuce wraps, rice bowls and pad Thai, and refreshing boba tea to wash it all down with.

In the lead up to yesterday’s opening, Ninja City has been doing near-weekly pop-ups at the Hall to spread the word and generate buzz. The response has been better than anticipated, says Fallon.

Guests can look forward to a few more artistic touches, such as larger-than-life comic book art, and online ordering in the coming days or weeks.

Ninja City is open 11 a.m.-8-p.m. seven days a week