Afuri Ramen and Boba Tea — Restaurant in Elkhart

A Symphony of Flavors at AFURI: Eel, Curry, and a Touch of Sweet Surprise AFURI Ramen & Boba Tea presents itself as more than just its name suggests, offering a culinary journey that extends into delightful and expertly crafted dishes beyond ramen. My recent experience was a testament to a kitchen that balances traditional Japanese flavors with inventive touches, leaving a lasting impression of quality and satisfaction. The star of the show was undoubtedly the Grilled Eel Rice. This dish was a visual and gustatory delight. Generous fillets of eel, presumably unagi, were grilled to perfection, boasting a subtle smokiness and a glistening, caramelized char. They lay resplendently over a bed of seasoned rice, each grain seemingly infused with the savory-sweet notes of the classic tare sauce that lacquered the eel. The richness of the fish was beautifully complemented by slices of delicate, subtly sweet tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet) and a vibrant, refreshing portion of seaweed salad, adding textural contrast and a bright, oceanic counterpoint. Each spoonful was a harmonious blend of umami and comforting warmth. Equally compelling was the Curry Chicken Dish. This wasn't just any curry; it was a robust, velvety, and deeply aromatic preparation. The rich, dark sauce generously coated what I can only assume were tender pieces of chicken, promising a hearty and flavorful experience. The addition of perfectly cooked, halved ramen eggs (ajitama), with their enticingly jammy yolks, and a sprinkle of fresh, verdant scallions provided not only visual appeal but also crucial layers of creamy texture and piquant freshness that cut through the curry's depth. A delightful and intriguing offering was the "Fried Fresh Milk." These golden, crispy batons were a masterclass in texture. The exterior, perfectly fried to a delightful crunch, gave way to an unexpectedly soft, warm, and subtly sweet creamy interior. A delicate drizzle over the top added an extra touch of sweetness, making this a unique and memorable item that could serve as an inventive appetizer or a delightful, light dessert. It was a playful and surprisingly sophisticated treat. Overall Impression: AFURI Ramen & Boba Tea is clearly a venue that takes pride in its culinary offerings. From the refined execution of the classic grilled eel rice to the comforting depth of the chicken curry and the inventive charm of the fried fresh milk, there's a clear dedication to quality ingredients and skillful preparation. The presentation of each dish was appealing, inviting the diner to savor the experience. This is indeed a wonderful place to eat, offering a diverse and satisfying journey for the palate that I would highly recommend to anyone seeking authentic flavors with a touch of...

I was a bit excited to try this place out, seeing as places that serve ramen in this area are very few and far between.

The atmosphere was absolutely nice and the servers were amazing, despite it being as busy as it was.

Unfortunately my expectations were already set a bit high when I saw the pricing on the ramen. I’ve had ramen at many places back in San Antonio (where I’m from), as well as directly in Japan. Kizuki in Carmel has been the best I’ve had in the states but they do charge at a premium at close to $20. Meanwhile, the various ramen places in San Antonio, while not as perfect, still offered their own great taste at around 10-12.

The fact that this business has their tonkatsu ramen at $14 brought my expectations into hoping that it would be at least similar in quality to those Ive tried in San Antonio, even thinking about the difference in pricing between the two places due to ingredients, etc.

Sadly, this ramen did not live up to what I hoped for. While the broth gave a promising taste in quality, the flavor seemed to dissipate fairly quickly. Furthermore, the ramen came in fairly lukewarm and not piping hot. The noodles also left a lot to be desired and tasted rather stringy. The pork was probably the best thing in all of this, even if I’m willing to give the extremely thin slice a pass.

I wish I could go on to describe the seaweed, the eggs (which I was surprised was hard boiled as oppose to soft boiled), the naruto and everything else with it but I couldn’t really finish the dish after all was said and done. I wasn’t really compelled enough to finish what was provided, which admittedly rarely happens with me and ramen.

The only reason why I give this place a 3 star as opposed to to a 1 or 2 is because I’m willing to give this place the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it’s stronger suit is with the other dishes they provide? Maybe I caught this place on a bad day?

Regardless, I don’t want to be someone that brings this place down when it’s just getting started. But I would highly ask that either this place improves on their tonkotsu ramen in the future or consider bringing the price down on it; Because with all due respect, and in my opinion, this was NOT...

10 out of 10 For the overall experience. It was during dinner time and we did not make a reservation, so we had to sit at the bar. Luckily, we did not have to wait long because the table opened up and I asked to switch to a table if possible. The host and the server were very polite and accommodating. We didn’t wait long for our food. It was fairly quick. For the appetizer, we order the chicken skewers. They were bold and full of flavor almost like a Mesquite chili oil char an 8/out of 10. It was crispy on the outside, but juicy on the inside. In my opinion, if they serve rice with the chicken skewers it will definitely be a 10 out of 10 for a tasty balanced flavor. For the entrée, we tried the Eel bowl and the Char Siu bowl. The eel was huge with a sweet barbecue teriyaki flavor that matched perfectly with the Japanese egg definitely an 8/out of 10. **I saved some of the chicken skewers to eat with the rice and that was definitely a 10 out of 10. The plate was hot enough for me to mix everything in it like a bim bim bop bowl. Super Delicious!! The Char Siu pork bowl was definitely a 6/ out of 10 because the meat was a bit salty, but the soft boiled egg yolk that came with it made it balance out the flavor. honestly, the soft boiled egg was my favorite part of that dish. Which I took one of them and added it into my eel bowl. I also ordered the Brulee Foam Uji matcha tea definitely a 5/ out of 10. Don’t get me wrong. It did not taste bad at all. It just tastes like foam milk, very neutral. I should’ve stuck to my first order, but I switched it last minute. I will definitely go back. I highly recommend this restaurant. They were really packed today, but I didn’t feel rushed, and the food came out great.👍 Thanks You for a...