The original Afuri location near Ebisu Station is still going strong after nearly 20 years. To find the shop, look across the street from the coloured lanterns at the back of the Ebisu Yokocho covered market. This sleek, minimalist ramen den beside the Shibuya River is still serving up noodles bathed in its signature broth – a light, yuzu-flavoured chicken and dashi soup that won’t leave you feeling puffy post-meal.
The standard choice is the yuzu shio or yuzu shoyu ramen, which comes with either the simple tanrei soup or the maro option with added chicken fat. Both flavours can be ordered tsukemen (dipping ramen) style and come with chashu pork (or swap it for chicken at no extra cost), menma bamboo, mizuna greens, half a soft-boiled egg and shredded yuzu. The tart Japanese citrus cuts through the salty flavours and rounds out the whole meal. Afuri also offers spicy yuzu ratan ramen and a vegan ramen – one of the best in Tokyo.
The original Afuri opened in 2003 and there are now half a dozen branches across Tokyo, including Harajuku, Azabu-Juban, Nakameguro and Sangenjaya, as well as outposts in Singapore, Portland, and Lisbon.