Afuri Ramen (61 North 11th St.) is opening its first East Coast location in Williamsburg on June 13. The global chain of ramen-focused Japanese restaurants has locations in California, Oregon, Canada, Portugal, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.
“We found and loved the location where you can see Manhattan across the East River and enjoy the pleasant breeze from the river,” Afuri Ramen told Greenpointers. “The high ceilings and red brick industrial interior make it an ideal spot for Afuri’s first New York City location.”
Afuri Ramen explained that this new Brooklyn location, which used to be a wool factory, will include a commissary kitchen where customers can watch the entire process of ramen preparation from noodle making and soup cooking to rolling, seasoning, and grilling chashu, and draining noodles in baskets. “We need enough space to showcase that and who we are,” Afuri Ramen said. “This space was perfect for that.”
The Japanese chain is named after Mount Afuri on the east edge of the Tanzawa mountains in Japan. Mount Afuri is known for its water and was considered a sacred mountain of good harvest.
In 2016, Afuri opened its first restaurant outside of Japan in Portland, Oregon. The unique geography of Oregon’s Mount Hood and the Portland ecosystem produce water similar to water in Japan.
Now, Afuri is using New York City’s exemplary tap water. “While tonkotsu ramen is mainstream in New York, we aim to introduce a different aspect of Japanese food culture with our clear, golden broth made with New York City’s high-quality water,” Afuri Ramen told Greenpointers.
Afuri’s ramen is lighter than most ramen in New York. The restaurant calls it “refreshing” and “a little delicate.” One of the ingredients that make Afuri’s ramen special is the use of yuzu.
The newcomer’s menu centers around a signature bowl of yuzu shio ramen, which consists of a light chicken broth, shio tare, bamboo shoots, frisee, Japanese pork belly, egg, nori, yuzu, and noodles. The menu includes several other variations of ramen dishes, plus donburi, gyoza, and small plates like pork buns and fried chicken.
Afuri Ramen’s beverage menu includes a wide selection of drinks. There’s beer, wine, sake, cocktails, and nonalcoholic options like yuzu limeade and homemade ginger ale. Some cocktail highlights are the Endomame with snap pea vodka, the Yuzu Fizz with gin, and the Kosho with tequila. Afuri also offers rotating flights of sake, shochu, and whiskey.
On Afuri Ramen’s official opening day in North Brooklyn, the restaurant will be open only for dinner 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. After June 13, Afuri Ramen will be open Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – midnight.