Joseph O’Neal went halfway around the world in search of himself.
During a monthlong journey around Japan in the spring, he indeed found what he was looking for — a renewed sense of purpose, clarity and direction. Along the way, he also encountered countless moments of culinary inspiration, which are about to culminate in his most ambitious endeavor to date, a Japanese-inspired ramen and street food spot called Nekojita Ramen.
After three pop-up nights earlier this fall to test the menu and build excitement among diners, plus two more installments set for Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, O’Neal anticipates Nekojita’s grand opening to happen in early November. To start out, he plans to operate three nights a week, Thursday through Saturday, as the restaurant shares space with Inland Pacific Kitchen (which now only serves brunch) inside the Washington Cracker Co. Building downtown. (Nekojita and Inland Pacific Kitchen, plus Hogwash Whiskey Den in the basement, are all co-owned by the building’s owners, Darby and Jovanka McKee.)…