We are back to Afuri Ramen because it was so tasty the first time! Afuri Ramen has quickly become one of our favourite ramen spots because of their yuzu soup base and unique hazelnut tantanmen.
When you enter the restaurant, you are greeted with an ordering machine. This is the first ramen spot I’ve seen in Vancouver with a system like this but this is common in Japan. This makes Afuri feel similar to a fast food spot even though their food is at a higher price point.
Kara-tsuyu tsukemen
Since Grayson tried the yuzu-tsuyu tsukemen last time, he decided to try the kara-tsuyu version this time. He said the broth was similar to the one he had last time and he liked the tangy citrus base it had. The broth wasn’t too spicy and it was more of a mild underlying heat. His favourite part about this dish are the noodles because they are chewy in texture. There were also pieces of chashu pork, bamboo shoots, arugula, nori, and a golden marinaded egg to go along with it.
Yuzu-ratan ramen
I tried the Hazelnut tantanmen the last time we were here so I wanted to try their ramen this time. The yuzu-ratan ramen came with a side of yuzu juice to add a bright citrus note to the broth. The base of the broth was spicy with a nice kick to it. My only complaint about the broth was that it was oily so it was hard to drink without a spoon.
The ramen came with a slice of chashu, arugula, half an egg and bamboo shoots. The egg was bouncy and the yolk was irresistibly runny. I wasn’t a huge fan of the chashu because it was too fatty for me but it had a nice char on it. The ramen noodles here are thin but still chewy in texture. After trying their ramen dish, I prefer this one over the hazelnut ramen but both were tasty.
