AFURI — Restaurant in Culver City

The Torigara shoyu (chicken with clear soy sauce broth) seems like a new item in their offering. At $14 it is one of the best value ramen around. It was light, yet so flavorful. The thin noodles works really well with it, it was firm , tasted fresh and it has such a good satisfying flavor to it that only crazy ramen aficionados like me can appreciate . It will be one of my regular orders from now on.

*note sometimes a new staff might be serving you and may not be aware of the off-menu item Torigara ramen. Just ask nicely and the kitchen will actually make it.

One good change is they now offer extra noodles for $3. For the longest time they did not offer that option to my disappointment before . Thank you! :)

The kaarage rice bowl to me was decent. Most will find it good. I just did not find that particular uber crunchy texture I was looking for in a kaarage. I will skip it from my order next time.

Btw they do not close at 2:30pm anymore. I was rushing to chase the pm closing time. Thank god!

As for parking, Culver is usually pretty hellish for parking. Fortunately, there is a 1hr free parking at the Trader Joe’s bldg nearby. Perfect to squeeze in grocery run after lunch.

One more thing. I was not fan of their dumplings.

But you can’t go wrong with all their light yuzu ramen offerings!

— Only on Wednesdays - they now offer a Wagyu ramen. The description says tonkotsu Wagyu ramen. First thought was it is going to be the thick rich tonkotsu broth. It is not the rich tonkotsu broth, it was still the same lighter yuzu broth you might have been familar with but with a stronger aroma of beef tallow on the surface. Topping it is a large slice of very tender wagyu beef. The price is $32. Overall it was an excellent choice.

—- A small update. Extra noodles are now $4 instead of $3.

— Oh no.. the Torigara ramen is now $15 ?! — Torigara now $16?? — Torogara now $17??

— The operating hours changed again. They now close after lunch hours and only open up again at 4:30pm.

— I tried the Tonkotsu Shio today. The chasu has a slight sweet flavor for some reason and it was good! The broth was legit. The only I won’t likely to order it again is because the yuzy Shio / Shoyu and Torigara are just that much...

I recently visited AFURI Ramen + Dumpling in Culver City to try their DineLA menu. The experience started with their specialty cocktail, which has won an award in Culver City. The drink’s flavors were bold and distinctive, making it a unique choice, though I likely wouldn’t order it again.

The first dish was the Crispy chicken gyoza tostada, which had a fresh and unique flavor reminiscent of a bánh mì, but served on a tostada. It was a delightful start to the meal.

Next, I had the Torigara Shoyu ramen. The thin noodles were a notable departure from the thicker varieties I’ve had at other places, and the broth was rich with complex, powerful flavors, including the Shoyu tare and oils. However, the chicken pieces were disappointingly small.

For dessert, I tried the Basque Cheesecake. It had a mix of flavors that were both intriguing and conflicting, particularly with its citrusy sourness. Despite this, I would consider ordering it again to explore its unique taste further.

Additionally, I took home an order of Takoyaki and a Kakuni Pork Bun. The Takoyaki was delicious, generously topped, and although slightly smaller than other versions I’ve had, the taste definitely made up for it. The Pork Bun was fairly standard, but I would have appreciated more ginger, as my to-go cup contained no more than four tiny strands.

The staff at AFURI were exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable, sharing insights about their dishes, the restaurant’s history, and their personal favorites. The restaurant itself has a cozy, dark ambiance with ample seating and what appeared to be a full bar, complete with bar counter seating.

Overall, AFURI offers a distinctive dining experience with a few hits and misses, but it’s worth a visit for its innovative take on ramen and it’s other...

An incredible new restaurant at the Culver Steps! Starting off with the fantastic service — our server Carlos gave my dog a doggy ramen bowl which she absolutely loved! I can’t tell you what was in it because she inhaled it. Here’s what I ordered:

Kara-Tsuyu - The dipping ramen was the star! I ordered this one, and someone else in my party ordered the Yuzu-Tsuyu. I honestly couldn’t tell you which is better. The Kara has a multilayered spice that chili oil could not substitute, while the Yuzu was such a delicious and bright broth. And mixed together? It was heaven. I don’t know what to tell you except that you need to get both. Wow. Yuzu Ratan - Delicious! The yuzu was a fantastic and unique addition to the flavor. The noodle texture was amazing. Mine was served lukewarm, which diminished it a little for me, but it was still great. Afuri “Rainy Mountain” sake - so fresh and crisp!

There’s a parking garage nearby at the culver steps!

UPDATE: The “doggy ramen” made my dog aggressively sick so would suggest skipping if your dog isn’t accustomed to eating egg, seaweed...