GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Why ramen noodles?

Well, because Tory O’Haire likes ramen noodles and he’s betting that you do, too.

“It’s interesting food that nobody else down here is doing, and it’s keeping different business hours than other places in town,” said O’Haire.

Tory O'Haire at Propaganda Doughnuts in Grand Rapids.

In a nutshell, that's the plan behind The Bandit Queen, an Asian-influenced ramen noodle bar the Grand Rapids chef of recent donut fame is opening this summer next to his new downtown pastry shop, Propaganda Doughnuts.

But, lest you think O'Haire — who just won $10,000 on television by creating donuts out of barbeque ribs, fried shisho leaf and dim sum — plans to serve re-hydrated Maruchan noodles out of a plastic package, fear not.

At The Bandit Queen, one can expect classic Japanese and Korean noodle dishes topped with fresh vegetables and roasted meats, made with whatever local produce O’Haire and his team could find at the market that day.

It’ll be served up quick for about $10.

"It's essentially old world fast food," said O'Haire, who recently raised $15,000 to help open the restaurant with a crowd-funded IndieGoGo campaign.

The new eatery cements O'Haire's presence at 117 S. Division Ave., where his film noir detective agency-themed donut shop opened in January.

The two eateries share a kitchen, but aside from the themed marketing and comfort food common denominators, the brands are as far apart as 1930s Los Angeles and ancient Persia. O’Haire, who has French-Irish roots, has styled The Bandit Queen after the ancient spice trade between Europe and the Far East.

Interior of The Bandit Queen will be “sort of Art Nouveau nautical, riffing on the trade ship idea,” said O’Haire. “It’s based on what you would imagine the harbor saloon of the trade port to be.”

He and business partner Mike Dykstra are hoping the eateries’ dueling personalities complement each other in their contrast. Donuts aren’t much for dinner, but maybe a bowl of fresh ramen would hit the spot — and vice versa at 8 a.m.

Hours at The Bandit Queen are structured around the hectic schedules of the service industry, O’Haire said. The goal is to make higher quality late night food not just for the bar crowd, but the folks who bust their hump to serve the bar crowd.

It can be a difficult for service industry workers to find something to eat besides whatever they’ve been cooking or serving all night, junk food or street pizza after the shift is over, O’Haire said.

The eatery plans to be open mid-week though Sunday and tentative business hours are 5 p.m. to midnight or later if demand warrants. Lunch hours will be added later.

O’Haire is confident there’s a market for his noodles downtown. Gourmet ramen has caught on among foodies and chefs in recent years, despite ramen’s perception by many as a college dorm staple eaten out of a Styrofoam cup.

He said the menu will be small, only a handful of items in order to expedite service. Despite the tavern label, the plan is not to sell alcohol. “There are great bars all around us,” he said. “Come here for some food and then head down the street.”

Seating at the restaurant will be limited to about 20.

O’Haire, who caught a dose of national publicity on July 25 with his “Donut Showdown” win on the Cooking Channel, said he’s noodling on some post-Bandit Queen draws that could further diversify the Grand Rapids food scene.

An English-style breakfast restaurant is on the horizon at some point, and O’Haire, who knows a thing or two about mixing drinks, said a craft cocktail lounge is not out of the realm of possibility.

Maybe even another Propaganda Doughnuts location.

“We’re going to focus that momentum into drumming up some interesting and new projects,” he said. Whatever’s next, it’ll be small and tightly produced, he said.

“I don’t want to sell anything I’m not excited personally about eating.”

Garret Ellison covers business, government and breaking news for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at gellison@mlive.com or follow on Twitter & Instagram