Tochi, the ramen restaurant which opened in January 2014 in the old Anaba Tea Room space at 2107 E. Capitol Dr., will move its operations to West Bend.
The restaurant announced the news on its Facebook page earlier today, and Chef Gregg Desrosier confirmed the news via phone.
Desrosier says that the restaurant will remain in operation at its Shorewood location through Aug. 16, taking occupancy at a new riverside development at 705 Village Green Way within the next six weeks or so.
Desrosier, who lives in West Bend and has been commuting to the Milwaukee area for the better part of 14 years, says he’s proud to have the opportunity to open his own restaurant in the city he calls home.
The new restaurant, he says, will have more of a "punk rock" vibe, and he’ll be doing away with the Godzilla theme currently used at the Shorewood restaurant.
Although the West Bend restaurant will actually be smaller, Desrosier says the kitchen will be nearly three times larger. So, he’s looking forward to making some changes to the menu, which will still offer most of the same core items.
"I’m looking forward to making tonkotsu ramen on a regular basis," says Desrosier. "And I’ll be looking at adding some items to the menu."
Desrosier says that, despite his excitement to lay new ground, he’ll miss Milwaukee and hopes to expand back down into the area in the years to come.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
