ZUND-BAR

Zund Bar is a name not many people know. The shop opened in 2001 at the foot of a mountain in Kanagawa Prefecture. That mountain? Mt. Afuri. Ah . . . now there’s a name embedded in the world of ramen. AFURI is one of the most famous ramen shops among tourists visiting Japan. Their yuzu ramen is the reason I get asked “Where is the best yuzu ramen?” as if it is a distinct style. Well, it all started here at Zund Bar.

From central Tokyo, it is about an hour train ride followed by a 30-minute bus. This might be one to drive to.

It might even be worth an entire day out. You could drive to nearby Mt. Oyama, take the ropeway to the Oyama Afuri Shrine (大山阿夫利神社), and pay your respects. The mountain is known as the father of Mt. Fuji. This is an important peak! Personally, I’ve never been, but looking at their Instagram makes me want to rectify that immediately. by the way, Afuri and Oyama are the same thing, so if you climb Mt. Afuri you also climbed Mt. Oyama.

Back to the ramen shop that started a boom in ramen tourism. The shop is in an old wooden cabin. Cool atmosphere for sure. Zund Bar opened in 2001 and led to Afuri’s opening in 2003. Around 2009 is when they expanded all over Tokyo and eventually to America and Portugal as well. Ramen Adventures started in 2008. Coincidence?

Thin noodles made at their nearby factory are matched with a light soup made from mountain spring water. The style seems descended from Nakamuraya, the now-closed Japan-based shop from Shigetoshi Nakamura, who just happens to be the brother of Hiroto Nakamura, the founder of Afuri. Small world!

Everything here is light tanrei (淡麗) broth. Since the start, Zund Bar was committed to using fresh, local ingredients and no chemical seasonings. When you visit, go for their classic bowl, served with toppings on the side.

Charcoal roasted pork, free-range egg, and a bit of rice. I dig the campsite-style bowl.

Spicy yuzu ratan ramen as well as their famous yuzu shio ramen are on the menu at Zund Bar as well. I’d say go for the signature classic (ZUND-BARクラシック) as you won’t find that at any of their Tokyo locations.

Official site here.

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ZUND-BAR in Atsugi, Kanagawa

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支那ソバ かづ屋 (Kaduya in Meguro, Tokyo)

厚木家 (Atsugiya in Atsugi, Kanagawa)

鼎泰豐 (Din Tai Fung in Shinjuku)

支那ソバかづ屋 (Kaduya in Meguro, Tokyo)