Wichita chef closes his latest restaurant, but his food will still be available

Noble House is on the move again.

The Hawaiian restaurant owned by chef Akamu Noble has been operating out of the former Angela’s Cafe spot at 2119 W. 21st St. since January of 2024.

But Monday was its last day at that address.

Starting on Monday, Aug. 4, though, the restaurant’s food will be available in a new location. Noble is taking over one of the spots at Kayson Chong’s new Plentibloom food hall inside the Ruffin Building, 100 N. Broadway.

Chong, who also owns Jumbo’s Beef & Brew, opened Plentibloom in June on the walkway level of downtown’s glass-encased Ruffin building. Plentibloom took over the large space that, pre-COVID, was occupied by another restaurant that served the building’s hundreds of employees as well as the public.

Chong reimagined the space as a place where people could get food from several popular local restaurants all in one place. Among his current vendors are N&J Cafe and Jumbo’s Beef & Brews.

Starting on Monday, Noble House also will be there serving ahi poke, California poke, teriyaki chicken plate lunches, Kalua pork plate lunches, lobster handrolls, spam musubi and fried rice. The first five people who purchase food at Noble House’s new location, which opens at 11 a.m. on Monday will eat for free up to a value of $20.

Noble said that the first eight months in the spot on 21st Street were great, but the last eight months weren’t as busy. He’s excited about the opportunity to serve his food at Plentibloom. And unlike most vendors who set up there, Noble will have his own staff making Noble House food. The usual setup is that Plentibloom staff is trained to make each restaurant’s offerings.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” he said.

Noble first arrived in Wichita with his Hawaiian Plate Lunch food truck in the spring of 2015 then opened a brick-and-mortar Hawaiian restaurant at 3238 E. Douglas in 2017. In 2019, he closed the East Douglas restaurant and relocated to 3031 E. Central, which was formerly home to Liberty Tax Service. He completed the move early in the COVID-19 pandemic but closed that spot in 2021.

The 21st and Amidon address was his third brick-and-mortar spot.

Chong said a couple of other vendors are also about to join the lineup at Plentibloom, which also includes healthy wraps from NuTree, plus a salad bar, pizza by-the slice made by Chong, pastries and coffee.

A local chef should soon start serving Mexican specialties at Plentibloom, Chong said. And XO Desserts, Jack Feist’s dessert shop at 548 S. Oliver, will soon start serving cheesecakes and ice cream.

Plentibloom’s hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The food hall is also open to the public.

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.