The Best Ramen in Portland, Oregon

"When it comes to great ramen restaurants per capita, you'd be hard-pressed to find a city that can beat Portland. Though fairly small, Portland shares a strong cultural connection with Japan-in Tokyo, there's even a bar, Asked why they chose Portland, PDX Taproom, that specifically pours Portland-brewed beers . Meanwhile, a number of Japanese businesses have put down roots here, including Snow Peak and worldwide ramen chain Afuri, which opened its first restaurant outside of Japan here in 2016."

""Our broth is super-sensitive chicken soup, with delicate seasonings. Portland water makes our broth the best. Afuri cannot exist without the water." Afuri's CEO said Since then, a number of other Japanese ramen chains have entered the fray, along with independent and locally owned noodle shops. Find a bowl-by-bowl breakdown below. central eastside and slabtown This Japanese chain once boasted four Portland-area locations, including one in Beaverton, but has since consolidated to two outposts, one on each side of the river."

"For something spicy and rich on a soggy, rainy day, Afuri has mastered its take on tantanmen, a sesame-bolstered soup with Sichuan origins. An unctuous, meaty version begins with a foundation of tonkotsu broth and ground pork, which harmonizes with the broth's sesame-miso tare. The vegan alternative, a creamy sunflower seed broth with miso cashew crumbles in lieu of pork, just may be the city's finest meatless ramen."

Portland features a high concentration of ramen restaurants supported by cultural ties to Japan and by Japanese companies like Snow Peak and Afuri, which opened its first location outside Japan in 2016. Afuri attributes the quality of its delicate chicken and yuzu shio broths to Portland water. The local scene now includes multiple Japanese chains and independent noodle shops. Afuri consolidated several locations to two, serving yuzu shio, a spicy sesame tantanmen, a meaty tonkotsu-ground-pork variant, and a standout vegan sunflower-seed miso with cashew crumbles. Kayo's North Williams shop iterated many noodle recipes before choosing a signature handmade noodle.

Read at Portland Monthly