(Closed) AFURI – Funan

(AFURI had since ceased operations at Funan Mall.)

With the official opening of Funan, Afuri is undoubtedly one of the stars of the F&B tenants there, especially considering the store being the very first outlet of Afuri that had opened its doors in Singapore.

Taking up one of the mid-sized shop spaces at Funan located just in between Wong Kee Wanton Noodles and Flavours by Saute-San, located at Basement 1 of the mall. Much like Konjiki Hototogisu which had opened and expanded fairly recently in Singapore, Afuri is being brought into Singapore by Japan Food Holdings; the very same brand which had brought in names such as Akimitsu, Menya Musashi, Karamen Ajisen and many more into Singapore. Occupying a mid-sized shop space, the interior is decked pretty simply; its minimalist aesthetic is a balance between that of a traditional Ramen shop with a slightly more contemporary look without being too fussy nor pretentious. Serving up their famed ramen noodles and dumplings, Afuri serves up a variety of different styles of ramen; the most notable of its offerings would have to be the ramen with Yuzu-infused broth, while another notable item would also have to be the Afuri Buta Wing Gyoza, which was also an item that is recommended by the wait staff. Apart from those, Afuri also serves up a small variety of Tsukemen, Donburi, as well as other side dishes such as their Cha Shu typically served in some variants of their ramen, as well as Chicken Kaarage, just to name a few.

(Afuri Buta Wings Gyoza)

Going for one of their signature offerings to share at the table, the Afuri Buta Wings Gyoza is presentable in a form similar to that of the Chinese Pot Stickers (Guo Tie) with its distinctive batter that holds up all the six pieces of Gyozas together. Unlike the Chinese Guo Tie however, the Afuri Buta Wings Gyoza comes with a chewy batter instead of a crisp batter which is quite an interesting twist. Just like the typical pan-grilled Gyoza, the skin of the dumplings is pretty delicate; adequately thin without tearing apart too easily whilst being slightly charred on the underside for better texture, while the insides coming with a good portion of easy-to-chew pork filling within that gives it a soft, meaty bite. Dipping them into the sauce provided on the side, the sauce carries an evident hint of vinegar amidst the savoury notes, helping to cut through the meatiness of the dumplings and provide yet another contrast in terms of flavour. A great item to be shared between two to three pax, considering how the Afuri Buta Wings Gyoza comes in a portion size of six pieces.

(Yuzu Shio Ramen)

Known for their Yuzu-infused Ramen offerings, our choice of order was the Yuzu Shio Ramen, which also comes with bamboo shoots, Chashu, seaweed, spring onions and Onsen Egg. Featuring a light broth that is flavoured with a tinge of salt, the Yuzu Shio Ramen is unexpectedly light, clean-tasting and refreshing; the infusion of Yuzu providing a refreshing note that lifts the flavours of the broth that keeps it from being too overwhelming. The other elements are pretty run-of-the-mill from the usual ramen joints, considering how the Yuzu Shio Ramen comes with condiments which are typically standard in most “hipster” ramen joints. That being said, we felt that the Chashu would suit those who like their Chashu the be a little more on the leaner side; the meat carries a firm bite and carries a slightly smoky flavour especially from the areas that are a little more charred, whilst void of any unpleasant porky stench though could be a little dry for some. It is also worth noting that the noodles used at Afuri are also slightly different than that of usual ramen joints; using thin wholegrain noodles, the noodles generally carried a softer bite than that of the Hakata noodles that most ramen joints seem to prefer to serve up these days. The Onsen Egg was also a crowd-pleaser of its own, carrying a molten yolk that is bound to satisfy.

(Spicy Tsukemen)

We also went for the Spicy Tsukemen; essentially dry ramen noodles to be dipped into a dipping sauce; offering two variants of Tsukemen with one being the Yuzu Tsukemen, the Spicy Tsukemen essentially comes with a sprinkle of chilli powder over the noodles while chilli oil is also added into the dipping sauce. Otherwise, the Spicy Tsukemen does come with almost the same condiments as the Yuzu Shio Ramen, though the Chashu is being replaced by the Diced Char Siu that are slightly more fatty, tender and chunkier than the former. An item that would work well for those who prefer heavier flavours, we felt that the addition of chilli oil to have overwhelmed much of the flavours of the Yuzu, resulting in a savoury note that is still pretty appealing, though lacks the refreshing zing of Yuzu overall. Despite being tagged as a spicy item, the Spicy Tsukemen is not particularly spicy to our taste buds; an item that should sit well with those who have a lower tolerance to spiciness.

Having tried Afuri only at Funan, we may not be able to tell how authentic the branch here is to the original in Japan, but the food served at Afuri is certainly pretty palatable. Considering how the ramen served here comes with a lighter broth, the ramen here may not be as appealing to those who are more used to the punchier Tonkotsu Broth served in most other places; something which brands like Tsuta and Konjiki Hototogisu had faced when they first opened their doors here in Singapore as well. While the condiments are largely nothing out-of-the-box and pretty much just decent without much to mention, Afuri does pretty much satisfy and is certainly not a bad option to have in the area especially when the craving for ramen hits; a place we would not mind revisiting again with a shorter queue if the standards do maintain. That being said, we do have an inkling that we would be very much seeing more outlets of Afuri spring up in Singapore in the near future; after all, Japan Food Holdings do have a reputation of bringing in well-known Japanese brands and expanding their operations (i.e. Konjiki Hototgisu, Kagurazaka Saryo, Osaka Osho etc.) in the past …

Afuri
107 North Bridge Road
B1-29 Funan Mall
Singapore 179105