AFURI ramen + dumpling

We stopped by this spot for lunch a few weeks ago. You order first and choose your own seating. The karage was super crunchy and came with a great dipping sauce. I loved the broth, super flavorful, maybe just a tad too salty for me. The noodles were so slurpable. Overall a good ramen spot! Service was fairly quick and the inside was super nice and classy.

Great service. Food was decent - my kids like the ramen. We all shared it. The dumplings were NOT good. None of my kids nor adults could eat them.

Afuri Kara Kurenai is a new addition to Old Town, located right next to Voodoo Donuts. Previously, this spot was a regular Afuri ramen restaurant, but they switched to the Kara Kurenai concept about two weeks ago, known for its spicy twist. This is the first Kara Kurenai store of Afuri chain outside of Tokyo, Japan.During our visit, we tried a variety of dishes, including a ramen, two tsukemens, and an aesoba. I'm not great with spicy food, so I opted for the level 3 mild ramen, while my husband chose the level 4 tsukemen. Our friends ordered a level 0 spicy aesoba and a level 7 tsukemen. Despite the spiciness, the ramen retained the signature yuzu flavor that Afuri is known for. My level 3 ramen had a decent kick but wasn't too overwhelming. Interestingly, my friend, who enjoys spicy food, mentioned that the level 7 tsukemen wasn't as intense as expected. The spiciness didn't have that artificial capsaicin taste, often found in overly hot dishes. Also, the spiciness really go well with their thick glazed pork chasu. One suggestion we had was to provide a clearer guide to the spice levels. It seemed odd that they emphasize a spicy twist but don't provide more detailed information about the spice levels. When we asked the staff about how we should understand the different spiciness level, they mentioned that level 0 already had some heat, and level 4 would be spicy, but we were left uncertain about what to expect. It would be helpful if they could offer comparisons to familiar spicy foods for each level unless the intention is to leave it up to the customer's experience. The portion sizes are on the smaller side, particularly for dishes without soup like the aesoba. Even my friend, who usually has a small appetite, mentioned she didn't feel full. On a different note, the restaurant has changed its pendant lights to all red, aligning with the new spicy theme. The staff remains very friendly and attentive. The ordering process has changed, placing your order at the front rather than at the table.

We visited for the grand opening and the $10 ramen night, and it was well worth it! When you arrive, you place your order at the register, pay, find yourself a table and the food is brought out to you. There is also indoor and outdoor seating available! The line was a bit long, but once we placed our order, the wait for the food wasn't too bad. I tried the Yuzu Kara Kurenai Ramen, and it was unlike any ramen I've had before. The broth had a unique flavor, almost like it had a hint of tomato base, and the taste of the pork belly reminded me of my grandma's roast with gravy--perfectly savory with a touch of sweetness at the end. The yuzu added a subtle acidity that really elevated the dish. I enjoyed every bite, and my bowl was completely empty by the time I was done!

AFURI is great! I've had it in a few cities now, and its savory, umami flavor is unmistakable every time. The ramen maybe isn't the most traditionally prepared, for the purists out there, but it's more than decent. I usually get some Bae's next door and eat it with a bowl (diabolical, I know).

Great food and ambience. The location isn't the great because of the parking and the homeless situation.

We came here for lunch on a Saturday and there was no wait as a walk-in. The restaurant wasn't too busy because most people were hanging out at the Portland Saturday Market. The ambiance was pretty casual - there's a sign that says "Wait to be Seated" but after we were greeted, they told us we could sit anywhere.Menus were already on the table in a container that also housed the chopsticks and napkins. We were brought water cups and a carafe for a mostly self-serve situation. Our waitress was friendly and checked on us multiple times throughout our meal.They had a lunch combo offering - drink (limeade, house-made ginger ale, etc.), small plate, and any ramen bowl for $26. It seems like a good deal, but they do make the small plate smaller/lunch size. The standard (a la carte) takoyaki small plate ($11) comes with five pieces; for the lunch combo, the takoyaki small plate came with three pieces. For the drink, I went with the house-made ginger ale, and it was quite gingery. The spices were very overpowering, it's not a drink that you can chug quickly. It felt like the ginger and spices burned my throat a bit; I couldn't finish the whole glass.Afuri's signature is their Yuzu ramen. I went with the Yuzu Tsuyu Tsukemen ($18) which is ramen noodles (served hot or cold) with the broth on the side. The noodles can be dipped in the broth or you can just pour the broth into the bowl. My sister ordered the Yuzu-Kara Tsuyu Tsukemen ($18), which is basically the spicy version.I'm a little disappointed that the servers gave us the wrong bowls - I got my sister's spicy bowl and she got my non-spicy bowl (I am not a spicy person). After a few bites of the spicy bowl, and the examination of the spicy chili powder on the noodles (or lack there of), it was clear that there was an order mix-up. We switched the bowls without a fuss, but this took away from the experience for sure.Once we got that worked out, we could start digging into our bowls. My egg was nicely cooked, but my sister's was overcooked (consistency issues). As for the noodles, without the broth, the noodles are bland. They really need the broth for flavor. Dipping wasn't enough, I had to dump it all into the bowl. The tsuyu ramen is more expensive than the "in broth" bowls - unless you want cold noodles, I don't see the value of getting the broth on the side because the noodles need to absorb that flavor. I've had Yuzu style ramen before; with Afuri's ramen, I didn't really taste the Yuzu. The flavors of the Yuzu Tsuyu Tsukemen weren't as bright and the shoyu flavor was stronger. The tsuyu also comes with kakuni chashu (pork belly), but the pieces were really fatty... some were all fat.It's a good serving size for a meal. We didn't finish our bowls and the waitress offered to pack the leftovers to go. I would come here again to try a more traditional Yuzu bowl, but my first ramen bowl here was only slightly above average.

I saw Afuri come up in the Oregonians top dumpling lists, and wanted to give it another try. I'm glad I did. We showed up around 2pm, and there was only one other person. We were greeted, and sat quickly. The host was friendly, and attentive. We ended up getting a couple things: the Spicy Maza (the special), the Winged Gyoza, the Pork Bun and the Spicy Tori Karaage. The spicy Maza was really good, the winged gyoza was solid. The pork bun had great flavor, and the spicy tori karaage was really good. Everything had a lot of flavor, and I'm excited to come back here to try other things. I'm glad I gave it another shot, and try the Donburi and some of the other Gyozas!

I arrived at Afuri to have lunch with a colleague. The outside of the restaurant was pretty clean. When we went inside, we waited to be greeted, then found a place to sit as they do not seat you. Catherine, our server, was pleasant and helpful. She was attentive, but not overly so, which I appreciated. I ordered the Edamame and Yuzu Tsuyu Ramen. Both were extremely delicious and filling. The food portions are reasonable, but not large. The prices are reasonable, maybe slightly high for ramen but it's worth it!!I would definitely recommend this restaurant and will go back again.

Edible but very mid. Spicy gyoza was lukewarm to semi cold. Spicy karaage don wasn't crispy but sauce was alright. Spicy kurenai was just okay. Nothing was honestly hot enough when served. Odd smell when I first walked in like a cleaning solution gone bad. I wouldn't come back.