“Regular or extra fat?” asked the guy behind the counter when I handed over my ticket from the vending machine for Afuri’s yuzu shio (yuzu and salt) ramen. No brainer. Extra fat (ōi instead of futsū for regular). A few minutes later I could smell the yuzu as he placed the bowl in front of me. You can see the yuzu peel on the egg.
The yuzu shio is perfect on these chilly autumn days. It’s light and refreshing. The chashū is seared which adds a nice toasty note to the ramen. The egg is soft and full of flavor in the yolk. I love thin noodles and these are very thin. The mizuna is a refreshing, crunchy touch. One of my favorite bowls in the city.
As for the extra fat, it was a rich bowl of ramen, but not too fat. A well-balanced bowl with a round feel of chicken schmaltz. The broth is chicken-based.
All of the seats overlook the open kitchen. J-Pop plays in the background, think Hikaru Utada, while Hayao Miyazaki’s Kurenai no Buta (Crimson Pig) plays on the TV. Today the shop is filled with a mix of young girls out shopping, area businessmen, and some students.
This shop is in Harajuku, about three minutes from the Takeshita Dori exit from the Yamanote Harajuku line. The shop front are large windows making the shop brightly lit during the day. It’s a very friendly shop and great for solo diners. The original shop is in Ebisu (Ebisu 1-1-7) and there is also a shop in Azabu-Jūban (Azabu-Jūban 1-8-10), and others in city.
Afuri 阿夫利
Shibuya-ku, Sendagaya 3-63-1
渋谷区千駄ヶ谷３−６３−１
03-6438-1910
10:30 a.m. – 3:00 a.m.
Food Sake Tokyo 
ooh! Yes! Extra fat is the best! That looks so delicious!
Adding this to my list for my first visit to Japan in few weeks. Thanks
Excellent!
I went to the Afuri in Naka-Meguro quite by accident. I was cold, and hungry, and the shop looked very inviting.
It was good and the atmosphere was just slightly unique/different, in a good way.
Good to know! Arigato!東京都目黒区上目黒1-23-1 中目黒アリーナ1F
Meguro-ku, Kami-Meguro 1-23-1 Meguro Ari-na Bldg. 1F
Looks like it is right at the station.
Cheers,
Yukari
This was delicious–thank you so much for the recommendation. One of the best bowls I’ve had in my life
Arigato! Glad you liked it. I too am a big fan. Good thing it’s not in my neighborhood, or I would go much more often.
Definitely adding this to my list for my Tokyo trip in two weeks. Just curious, does anyone remember how much a bowl approximately was?
I think it is about 900 JPY. Be sure to pick up my book, Food Sake Tokyo, it can help you plan your trip. I hope you discover lots of new foods while in Japan.