AFURI Richmond — Restaurant in Richmond

The long awaited ramen joint from japan is finally here.. AND.. i think we should send it back.. 😔 was soooooooo disappointed with our experience.. it took a while for me to do this review because i needed to think how to judge the food with considering that it came from japan and maybe this is really how food tastes there.. and vancouver ramen joints just stepped up the game of ramen.. we got there not expecting it to be NOT that busy. We waited maybe 10 mins for a table for four.. we needed to ask the host if it was a self order service as we didn't know what to do.. we noticed that it was overpriced for a ramen place but also considered that it was "fine ramen" and had its reputation.. We had our table but it was connected to another table for 2 but there wasnt any space in between, so it was like a table for 6.. i mean, it didnt bother me but for others this might be a downfall.. you can actually hear all their conversations and our conversations hehehe you also share condiments and chopsticks and napkins for the same tables.. i would suggest to atleast have a gap/space for different tables or if they keep the tables together maybe a little wall/divider they can put up in between tables.. I like how the place is open concept.. it was clean and inspite of it being a busy place, the dinning area was in order.. suggestion only is to maybe make the receiving area a little bit bigger because it gets all concentrated in that area because everyone is ordering first before sitting down.. so our orders took maybe 30 mins for 3 people and for the 4th person he got his ramen maybe 45 mins in.. we were almost done eating our bowls before his ramen came.. so service was small.. the server explained that there was something going on in the kitchen where people were shouting at each other and really not getting the orders right.. she couldve made up a different excuse and not divulge things to customers that would make the kitchen look bad.. We were also wondering about the drink menu but the server said that it was on the screen but no one ever looks at it as it cant really be seen on the menu.. its in a different tab.. and she said she told management so majy times to fix it but they havent fixed it.. again, making the management team look bad isnt a good choice.. so we settled for water instead of going back to the crowded area to order drinks. I ordered the chicken karaage ( that tasted lile chicken but no seasoning/marinade, just deep friend chicken), buta gyoza (just tasted like ground pork inside), pork bun (tough meat and the dough was really thick n not soft enough.. 😔). We also ordered Yuzu shio ( we were thinking it would be a little salty but it was really bland.. we needed to add salt in it.. ), yuzu shoyu (it was ok.. but still not as flavorful..)and tonkatsu tantanmen ( this was the best of the three, the taste was good it was just really watery). All three had different noodles and all noodles were overcooked.. 😔 It was really just a let down.. hopefully they can improve and be open to the suggestions of the reviewers.. but for now, there are alot more ramen joints that are waaaaaaaaaaayyy...

I believe how well any business does starts from the top - the owner(s). How they show up, how they handle escalations, how they interact with customers and peers provide an indication of how well their restaurant will do long-term. That's why I strive to converse with managers/owners (good & bad) in nearly every place I visit to see how they respond.

This is my interaction with the owner:

I informed him that the bowls were dirty (forgot-to-wash, not minor stains removable from napkins) TWICE, and instead of an apology, I got a literal response of: "this is only our second day, give us a break". The owner then proceeds to personally bring clean bowls to us, except he did not realize his thumbs were touching the inside of the bowl.

I feel the staff can give him a lesson on customer service in the restaurant industry, because everyone else was superb.

For example, when my chicken karaage came like someone ate half of it, they immediately brought it back and made me a new one. The chef apologized to me and I appreciated that. That being said, the chicken was dry to my standard, but to each their own. Gyu-Kaku, G-Men, Jinya, Zakkushi easily have better Karaage than this place, so save your money.

Where you should spend your money is on their gyoza. It is perhaps one of the best in town - rivaling places like Danbo. It is juicy, crispy and the pork is soft yet flavourful. Note their dipping sauce can be salty, so I suggest pouring it slightly onto the gyoza plate and mixing it with the oil/juice. $10 for 8 is not a bad deal.

I can't comment too much on the ramen, because I realize it's very subjective. I prefer super al-dente hard chewy noodle, and this place does not allow you to customize things like firmness and portion (extra) of noodles. All I can say is it is a great attempt at making the ramen taste different with their unique sauces, though I feel their sauces don't mix too well together. Tastes great on its own, but when put together, it lacks chemistry and harmony.

Would I recommend coming here? I think everyone should try and form their own opinion, but I'd suggest going after they open for a few months (if you are reading this and it's past March 2020 then you can go!), since (as-of writing) today it's only their 3rd day and the owner suggests to "give them a break".

If you were to go, make sure to use their self-serve hot water dispenser (to the right of the cold-water) and ask for extra napkins so you can thoroughly clean the bowls and utensils. This will help "give them a break" since they're...

Afuri Ramen + Dumpling is a popular Tokyo ramen chain known for their chicken broth based ramen fused with a splash of yuzu for a touch of freshness. Their signature dish is their Yuzu Shio Ramen. The broth is lighter and more delicate in flavour than your traditional ramen. Afuri is also know for their dumplings, which are made in house with a thin wrapper and then pan fried to perfection.

Afuri opened its first location outside of Tokyo in Portland in 2016 and their newest location in Richmond is the first in Canada.

In Japanese fashion, this location will feature touchscreen ordering. You place your order via a touchscreen vending machine and then you receive your receipt and table number. I came by during their media night and had the opportunity to try their entire food menu as well as a kitchen walk through to see how they boil their broths in giant vats and hand make their noodles.

I had a variety of their noodles but my standouts surprisingly was their Hazelnut Tantanmen (vegan - but I added an egg) and their Soft Shell Crab Bun (MUST ORDER ITEM!!)

The soft shell crab bun consists of one whole soft shell crab, kimchi, cucumber and spicy mayo. The bun held up well to the plethora of ingredients and the little touch of having the Afuri logo seared on was nice. The soft shell crab was fried perfectly with a light coating. The spicy mayo and kimchi added a nice spicy kick and the cucumber lightened up the whole bao with its freshness. I had two of these, and wish I had room enough for a third. This bao is best enjoyed hot and fresh, but it still tastes pretty good after sitting out for awhile!

The Hazelnut tantanmen is composed of miso tare, hazelnut broth, bok choy, shiitake, leeks, miso cashew crumbles. The broth was full bodied with a rich nutty flavour. The noodles were thicker and I loved the chew on them. This is their vegan offering and in my opinion it blows all other vegan ramens that I’ve tried. I added the egg, but normally there is no egg as this dish is vegan.

Their signature Yuzu Shio Ramen was a little too light on flavour for me personally - I remember a stronger yuzu flavour when I had it in Tokyo, but that might be just a personal preference.

The restaurant was bumping but service was efficient and friendly. The kitchen was positively slammed but they kept pushing out dishes that were beautifully assembled. I was really impressed by my overall experience today and I cannot...