The restaurant business is notoriously challenging, but one edge that the new Charm Ramen & Rice in Wellesley Square has out of the chute is that co-owner Ae Trahan has been doing taxes for eateries in Wellesley and beyond for years. She really understands restaurant finances, what works and what doesn’t.
What’s more, she and partners Aum and Auy have taken a deep dive into the Japanese cuisine they will serve at Charm, which begins its reservations-only soft-opening month on April 4 at 555 Washington St., the former longtime location of Lemon Thai. They all headed to California ahead of opening the restaurant to train with an experienced Japanese chef, and he in return paid the restaurant a visit before it opened to ensure the kitchen was set up properly to prepare ramen, gyoza, and other menu selections. The co-owners learned the importance, for example, of how precise measurements really do make a difference in how their food will taste.
Trahan and team found their Wellesley spot at the start of 2025 and have been readying for their opening since. One not-so-secret weapon for Charm is Trahan’s husband, Paul, a custom carpenter by trade who gutted the space and rebuilt the interior with unique, well, charm. Among the immediate eye-catchers at the nearly 50-seat restaurant, as we saw during a sneak peek in March, are display shelves populated with manga comic book figurines. Trahan says she has so many they plan to sell them to customers at some point.
Charm’s fun decor also features a mural that those in the know realize includes cartoon depictions of the owners’ pre-teen daughters. Trahan’s rascally son also makes a cameo in the painting, launching a paper airplane from above in the work done by one of her kids’ teachers.
All of this provides the backdrop for the food, which can be eaten there or taken out. As the name of the restaurant indicates, Charm serves ramen and rice—a plethora of rice bowls are an option for those on gluten-free diets.
Trahan has visited the Wellesley area frequently to see family, and was struck by a lack of ramen options available. That’s in large part what inspired her to focus Charm on the popular Japanese noodle soup dish. “We all love ramen,” she said about herself and her business partners.
Charm’s menu brims with ramen selections. Our party of three—Mr. & Mrs. Swellesley, plus Wellesley College student and Swellesley contributor Iris Zhan—were served three different ramen bowls. Being picky me, I went with the Simple Ramen, which contained clear chicken broth as well as chicken chashu, sweet corn, nori (seaweed), garlic oil, and a swirly little fish cake (nautomaki). This was a serving of salty (shio) goodness delivered in a bowl donning Charm’s logo (as we learned, “Charm,” means “bowl” in Thai, and the Thai word is embedded in the logo).
My lunch mates gobbled down Tonkotsu Ramen, served in a thick broth with pork chashu, and Veggie Ramen, featuring seasoned tofu. Ramen bowls range in price from about $15-$20.
The ramen bowls were plenty filling, but the Charm team also shared a sampling of more and more appetizers. As something of a gyoza connoisseur, the first thing I did was ask for the pan-fried pork variety, while Iris opted for the veggie/greenish version. I loved the gyoza that Lemon Thai once served, but Charm’s edition was perhaps the best I’ve had, both light and flavorful. Iris loved the veggie option, and was surprised to learn it included cabbage, which they said they’re usually not a fan of.
Trahan made a point that Charm makes its gyoza fresh on site, whereas most such dumplings are bought frozen by restaurants and heated up, leaving them doughy.
Other notable appetizers included plump truffle edamame, juicy shrimp shumai, crispy brussels sprouts (just the way Mrs. Swellesley likes them), seaweed salad, and takoyaki, fried octopus balls, and Chashu Buns, small sandwich-like creations packed with pork, vegetables, and sauces. Apps range in price from about $7 to $14.
For dessert, Charm offers a selection of mochi ice cream, including green tea, black sesame, mango, chocolate, and strawberry. Another fun finisher is taiyaki, a warm and crispy fish-shaped pastry with creamy custard inside, and served alongside ice cream.
Charm is offering a colorful roster of sodas, teas, an alcoholic beverages. A rainbow of Asian snacks are also displayed at the counter.
The restaurant brings something fresh and new to town, and we expect it to be a hit with locals, including college students.
More: Where to eat in Wellesley (sponsored by black & blue Steak and Crab)
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