Afuri
A Japanese ramen chain we hope conquers America.
GO HERE: to find out why we would put a chain restaurant—albeit a Japanese one—on this year’s list. Look, we love small quirky restaurants, especially PDX ones, as much as the next tattooed, fixie-riding barista. But there’s no denying the pure pleasure of slurping a bowl of expertly crafted ramen and “researching” our favorite sake while staring at one of the most baller kitchens we’ve ever run across. Chain or no chain, Afuri is an eye-opening beauty; the day one comes to your town, you’ll be thankful.
ORDER THE: subtle and lightish yuzu shio ramen, the signature dish throughout the Afuri empire. But there’s more than just noodles here: get crispy karaage—basically fried chicken nuggets—dipped in yuzu kosho egg salad, a scallop and tobiko hand roll, and anything that comes from the hearth-like irori grill.
THE VIBE IS: industrial, though with enough blond wood fixtures and perfect lighting to feel warm and welcoming. At lunchtime, the sunlight-filled room is the ideal setting for a quick bowl of ramen. At dinner, the buzz from the giant open kitchen fills the space with big city energy.
GETTING IN: is no problem at lunch—it’s big—but you’d be wise to book reservation a few days ahead for busy weekend nights.
SAKE, ANYONE? Eating at Afuri and not ordering sake is like going to a baseball game and not having a beer. The sake list is extensive and organized and includes useful tasting notes like “honeysuckle with a hint of ripe bananas,” or “chewy with a nose of strawberry.” And you get to choose your very own sake cup to sip from.
