Fumi Japanese Curry & Ramen

Convinient location, modern clean restaurant. I came here with a group of friends. I was glad they were not busy because i was very very hungry. I ordered ramen curry with chicken katsu — just the right amount spice and flavor. My friend ordered chicken teriaky and spring rolls, he was ok with his food, said nothing spectacular. Staff is pretty helpful, casual atmosphere, and pretty good food that is not expensive — i will come back here again to try other items on the menu.

We ate curry at Fumi ramen one Friday night, and the Warriors won a game during the finals ^^V (Curry pun intended… hahahaha)
From our visit, the star was definitely the curry (no pun intended this time). For a city with a prominent food scene, SF is surprisingly scant in legit, worthy Japanese curry. Japantown is mediocre and tastes like box curry; Volcano is underwhelming and seems like a joint that would belong in a mall food court; Murraci’s is just about the only decent place, but it is a very small and more of a hole-​in-​the-​wall pit stop than a comfy sit-​down dinner like Fumi.
We got the chicken katsu teppan curry, and it was outstanding – a cloud of smoke rose as the server poured the curry over the sizzling teppan plate. (Exciting! I suggest capturing a video to oneup your food porn) The housemade curry had excellent umami flavor, a tantalizing spice blend, and wasn’t too salty. An equally impressive aspect was the heavenly interplay of textures. Not only was the rice perfectly charred like the bottom of clay pot rice or dolsot bibimbap; the egg was crisped as well. Together with the katsu featuring a crunchy panko exterior and juicy meaty interior, this was a very satisfying dish. The pictures of the curry rice plates do look a bit small, as other reviewers have pointed out, so I would recommend sticking to the more avant-​garde teppan curry.
The ramen turned out to be just alright; it will do to satisfy ramen cravings but I do prefer Coco’s in Bernal for the wow factor. The broth was attenuated in tonkotsu flavor, mildly creamy, and less salty (to our liking). The portion size was just sufficient, conveniently leaving space for dessert at Mitchell’s afterwards P: Although it came with the basics of half an egg, 3 chashu slices, menma, kikurage, corn, and spinach, it could definitely use a larger quantity of each topping. My favorite part of my ramen was the soft-​boiled egg, which was on point with its mastery of the liquid gold yolk. They also have more unique ramen options, such as the California ramen with avocado and soft shell crab ramen (The boo was interested in this, but I thought the soft shell crab looked creepy like it was about to walk out of the ramen bowl any moment.)
Dinner totaled to $ 24 pre-​tip, very affordable for quality noms in SF. They also have happy hour 5−7pm with BOGO dranks but unfortunately we didn’t notice until we left and saw the poster outside (and they have Asahi black!!). The ambiance is nice and relaxing, with traditional Japanese décor that is homey but not flashy and abstract like many Japanese places these days. (Plus, nothing can beat an ambiance of Totoro music in the background) Service is efficient and attentive, and the owner is very friendly. Hurray for small businesses – even though Fumi is newer to the neighborhood, it feels very personable and non-​gentrification-​y while adding delicious traditional Japanese curry to the SF food scene.

Pork Katsu Teppan w/​curry sauce was delicious! I will come back here to try other menus.

To be clear, this review is mostly directed at the owner /​non-​existent management. I’ve been in the restaurant industry my whole life and have managed multiple restaurants. I never leave 1 star reviews when it’s not warranted. Here’s the breakdown:
Let’s start with the good. Food: good. If you are deciding to eat here based on the food, go for it! I honestly liked the quality and taste of the food.
Service: Good-bad.or gbad.
Let’s start with the good: Their attentiveness was great (we were one of two tables in the restaurant).
The bad: And this may not be their fault, but they apparently have no authority to replace wrong items. When ordering ramen you pick the soup base, ingredients, then order the spicy level. I ordered curry, pork, then spicy. The thing is they have 2 types of pork — Chashu or Pork katsu aka Tonkatsu pork. This may have been an oversight on my end by not specifying which one. However, the server did not ask clarification but rather assumed which one I wanted. Fair mistake on both our parts, fine. So out comes the order. As you can guess, it was the wrong pork. I politely said it was the incorrect one, can I please get the correct pork. The server responded that they could add the Chashu (for an additional charge). I said «no, sorry, this is not what I wanted.» They refused to replace the pork. I then asked to speak to a manager. Their response, «We do not have a manager here.»
I replied «Okayyy. Can I speak to the owner?»
«Sorry, the owner is on vacation.»
I seriously have never experienced this in my life. If a customer ever came to me and said, «this is not what I ordered,» I would immediately replace it, no questions asked. I have advised my staff to do this immediately if this were to happen to any customer. Sure, sometimes it’s the customer’s fault… SO WHAT! You replace it! You replace it to keep your customer happy so that they return!
So basically they refused to replace the pork, no manager or owner there to correct this or try to amend the issue, the servers have no authority (apparently) to correct this mistake, and really, this would have been the easiest thing to fix.
There’s more details to the story but for the sake of not writing a novel, these were the cliffnotes. Honestly, please get a manager and have that manager present at the restaurant and/​or properly train your staff to deal with these situations.

After hiking bernal heights, fumi was within walking distance.
Very clean, friendly staff and the atmosphere was great.
The good looks great and tastes great too.
Everything was decently priced.

As a vegetarian I have found it difficult to find a ramen place that has fried tofu (I am not a fan of raw tofu) so I was extremely happy to find this place and to find that they also have a curry option for broth. I got the every green noodle with curry and I am in love! I will definitely be going back here to satisfy my ramen craving!
I also tried the matcha mochi ice cream and it was amazing!

While deep down I’ll always be a loyal fan of Curry House (in Hawaii) aka Coco Ichibanya (in Japan/​Los Angeles), I am now basically a permanent resident of San Francisco. For my Japanese curry cravings, Fumi has recently earned a spot in my heart (and dining-​out rotation) and thus deserves honorary mention. Clean, simple, tasty, and cheap, this restaurant is a much-​welcomed addition to the Bernal Heights neighborhood. It’s awesome not to have to go all the way to Japantown for mediocre curry when there’s a perfectly solid option in the southern half of the city.
I really like Fumi because it has a very friendly and accessible atmosphere. I’ve always had very kind and good service. The curry hits the spot for me, especially after a long massage at Relax Feet across the street. Portions are by default on the smaller side, but you can always add more rice/​curry for a small fee (if you’re starving, which I’m surprised I haven’t yet because I usually eat a lot: P). The curry rice plates also come with a side green salad, for a nice healthy touch. The teppan curry rice dishes, which come on a sizzling hot plate with an egg, are an interesting (and my spouse says tasty) option. They also have a variety of yakitori and other small plates/​appetizers. The quail egg with bacon was bomb.
There’s a big, modern space in the back that can be reserved for large parties. I’m thinking up a reason to rent it out…
Thank you, Fumi. See you soon!

What I got:
Curry ramen w/​chicken katsu
What I thought:
I came here not expecting much, but it actually turned out to be pretty good!
This was my first time trying curry ramen and definitely won’t be the last! The broth was really flavorful and not too salty.
The chicken katsu was extremely crispy and tender. Went very well with the curry ramen.
Not sure if I just have a big appetite or if the bowl was tiny, but I felt like I could’ve eaten an entire extra bowl. Portions weren’t the biggest, but good quality food if your looking for a decent chicken katsu place.

It is march 25 2016 and this is my 3^rd time coming here. If this review is too long, I’ll just summarize it real quick. Food-​DELICIOUS and surprisingly not too salty. Staff-​Great service and very nice. I highly recommend giving this place a try.
The restaurant is smaller and intimate. The staff is amazing! They are nice and they check if everything is great.
I have tried the curry chashu ramen, tonkatsu chashu ramen, katsu teppan curry, and the chicken katsu curry plate. The pork in the ramen was soft and flavorful! It was like it just melted in your mouth. The broths were nicely flavored and not too salty or bland like other places I’ve been to. The chicen katsu comes with a nice portion of chicken, curry, rice, and has a side salad. Curry was full of flavor and the salad had some cute carrots cut into a flower/​star shape. I liked the teppan curry. It’s served in a sizzling plate with egg, rice, katsu, and the curry is poured in front of you for that sizzling presentation. The only thing about it… is that it was sizzling, i like to dive into my food when i get it… so needless to say i burned my tongue haha. If you got the patience, then I highly recommend it!
For dessert we tried the iced thai tea and the green tea cheesecake. The thai tea is served in a nice little goblet type glass and a bendy straw! (The inner child in me enjoys bendy straws) The green tea cheesecake was just a tad too small of a slice for but it was delicious! Sometimes they run out, the first day I came here they were out, but today they had some.

I came and ordered the Japanese curry fried shrimp rice plate last week. It was yummy, very much satisfied my craving for Japanese curry. This place gives me a new lunch option since this place is not that long of a drive from my workplace. I ordered the extra spicy which the server told me it would be level eight on a scale of 10, and I think the description was quite accurate. I can enjoy the spiciness without burning in my mouth. It’s great that the plate comes with a side of salad with some vinegar dressing.
The décor of the place looks nice too. It appears small on the outside, but I went to use the restroom before leaving I found there’s a dining room in the back too. Therefore the capacity is probably what one would see in the front area.

Had a busy day in the office so we decided to order through doordash. We orders 3 curries and 1 chicken teriyaki.
The food arrived quickly, hot and the katsu was still crispy! There was a mixed salad with each meal. It was pretty nasty. This was due to putting fresh greens next to hot food in a box. The greens were wilted and inedible. I would suggest putting the salad in a separate container like most Japanese restaurants do.
The teriyaki chicken was quite dry and didn’t appear to be the same portion size of meat as the curries. Definitely a place we’d order from again but will request no salad next time

Small modern nice place.
It wasn’t busy… only one other party when we came in.
Edamame…$ 5. Came out smoky/​hot. They probably microwave it cause i heard it from the kitchen a few time.
Crab egg rolls…$ 7. They cut the egg rolls in half and put the crab top
Chasu ramen with tonkotsu flavor and regular spiciness…$ 10.95. I thought the bowl was kinda small for the price. But it varies on ramen restaurant.
Green tea mochi ice cream and stick cracker. Since i came with my mom and brother and only order 1, they were nice enough to cut it 3 ways for us. It was nice to end out meal with this dessert.
To me, i thought the foods were average. But satisfy my ramen fix. Certain food items were kinda expensive. There were only 2 workers working with the customers. They were nice. Service was average

I came here with a friend of mine on a Friday night around 8:30p. it was pretty empty inside with just 2 – 3 tables filled, so we were seated pretty quickly. I got the curry ramen with chicken katsu (extra spicy), while my friend got tonkatsu ramen with chicken katsu (spicy).
while noodles and chicken katsu were good, the curry «soup» (more like sauce) was hella heavy so I felt like I was eating like a lo mein kinda dish. I was bit disappointed in the amount of vegetables given also because it seemed like it was just a dash of everything.
spice-​wise, my friend and I were underwhelmed. we were both kinda like «I thought we said spicy or extra spicy…» I added the red spicy powder that they have on each table, which helped a little, but I wish it had been extra spicy like mentioned on the menu.

The space is new and clean, but the dining area is fairly small. The kitchen appears to be twice as big. I wouldn’t come with a group larger than 4.
I’ve dined in and gotten take out, and the food has been consistent so far. The takeout order of curry with fried shrimp seemed massive to me. The teppan hamburger curry was tasty but the sauce was thicker than I prefer. Tintin liked the curry ramen.
Service was good and prices were average for the area.

Came here yesterday in a group of 5. This place is kinda small with three tables that can seat 4 – 5 and a couple of tables that can seat 2. At first we were seated right by the door and it was chilly cold every time that door opened. When space opened up, we asked to be reseated to another table and they kindly obliged.
I got the tonkatsu chashu ramen and I thought it was extremely bland especially when comparing to ramen places like orenchi or santouka. The chashu was good but not the melt in your mouth kind of chashu.
Agedashi tofu: 4, lightly battered which added a nice crunch layer without overpowering the tofu
Pork katsu curry rice: yum! The pork katsu was cooked really well with a good ratio of batter to pork plus the pork was not dry at all inside. The curry had a kind of added citrus flavoring to it.
Clam miso soup: reported as delicious
Hamburger teppan curry: reported as delicious
Out of our table of five, 3 of us said it was alright but wouldn’t come back and 2 of us said it was delicious and would return (those two ordered the hamburger teppan curry and the clam miso soup)

I went here for lunch the other day and was pleasantly surprised. It’s mainly a curry place, but they do have some crab and noodles if that’s what you’re into.
I ordered the chicken katsu with curry over rice which was good. The chicken katsu was perfect so I was pleased. I ordered «spicy curry» which I didn’t think was very spicy at all, maybe my spice level is a lot stronger than most. The actual curry flavor i thought was a bit vinegary.
My biggest con was that the curry got cold quick, and the worst thing in the world is cold curry. With that said, I’m not sure what the restaurant could do besides serve burning hot curry. D ordered curry on a hot plate instead which was curry rice with egg over a hot plate. The hot plate kept the curry hot throughout the menu, would definitely get that instead next time.

A decent Chicken Katsu Curry option that doesn’t require a trip to Japantown?
HELLS YEAH.
And if the place offers brown rice, clean environs and friendly service?
EVEN BETTER.
And if the Chicken Curry Noodle is underwhelming and has only one sad little stalk of broccoli?
OH WELL.
And if it can appease your curry crazed cravings despite being crazy tired?
THANKS FUMI.

I have to admit a certain and probably unfair prejudice when it comes to pork tonkatsu. You have to know that I like it best when it’s served in a homey setting like Kitchen Kura where I can pretend like my Okasan made it. It just feels more authentic to me that way like I’m living in a Yasujiro Ozu family drama where over a low-​lying dinner table on a tatami, I’m scolded for not finding a proper wife at my advanced age. I was hoping there would be a bit of that feeling at Fumi since I considered it a good sign that it shares the name of my Okasan. Yep, my mom’s name was Fumiye. But no, it’s quite modern in here with a lot of hipster-​style touches and a young staff all dressed in black like a «Sprockets» sketch. Touch my monkey!
It was pretty busy at around 6:30 on a Tuesday evening with the median age of the diners, I’m guessing, around 22. I had to sit up at the three-​seat counter, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, except youngsters would sit next to me in utter despair waiting for their takeout orders. I felt it was essential I order the $ 10 Pork Katsu, even though it looked identical to all their curry plates in the photo menu. It was presented on a strangely immaculate plate where the katsu slices were fanned out decoratively on a small mound of rice sitting in a pool of watery curry sauce. On the side was a tuft of mixed greens with a dribble of corn kernels (photo:
). A food stylist’s work of art but…
The pork was a bit dry and flavorless. It looked like it was pounded into submission to make it look symmetrical, and the coating lacked the crunch that would have excited me to no end. I was bummed because my «Tokyo Story» fantasy of a home-​cooked meal went poof. I was also disappointed that a $ 2.50 Diet Coke amounted to one of those Lilliputian aluminum bottles because I usually finish those in ten seconds flat. The surprising highlight of the meal turned out to be my side dish, the $ 5 Garlic Broccoli because it was fresh and crispy with the chopped garlic providing just the right seasoning (photo:
). Gee, I think I could actually make that at home. There are other dishes to consider. Perhaps.
FOOD — 3 stars… pork katsu was marginal but the garlic broccoli almost made up for it
AMBIANCE — 2.5 stars… the set of Sprockets…“Now is ze time on Sprockets vhen ve dance!“
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… nicer than you would expect given the ambiance
TOTAL — 3 stars… Okasan?

My latest obsession is watching Million Dollar Listing San Francisco (MDLSF). I like to fantasize about the day I can buy a house in the city where I was born and raised in for oh you know, a million or two. I figure if Mr. NSS and I both sell our kidneys in the black market, we would have just enough for one quarter of a house at Bernal Heights, the «hottest neighborhood of 2014».
Tell that to Andrew from MDLSF and he’ll probably shudder. Can that guy be any more of a douche?
Team Roh!
Ok, some parts of Bernal Heights isn’t exactly the nicest and the some of the streets are as tight as a virgin’s whoohaaa but the neighborhood is cute and most people are very friendly. Plus, you can’t beat the breathtaking, panoramic from Bernal Hill. One area that Bernal Heights is lacking in is solid Asian restaurants. Ichi doesn’t count unless you have a daily food allowance of $ 80+.
Opening a week and a half ago, Fumi Japanese Curry & Seafood took over the old Eagle Donuts space, next to Pizza Hacker. The space is tiny with seating for 20 and three counter seats. This is not a place for groups larger than 4 but they do take reservations for 6 or more people.
On the menu are Apps (popcorn shrimp, karaage, gyoza, spring rolls), Salads (Asian crab and ceasar), Soups (kabocha, miso, clam), Curry Rice, Curry Noodles, Teriyaki, Teppan Curry, and Whole Crab. Except for the crab and seafood dishes, everything is less than $ 12. Portions are filling for the price. They also have kid meals for $ 6-​$ 7. Vegetarian and brown rice options available. No booze available.
We started with the Chicken Karaage ($ 8) which I would pass on:
. The garlic and ginger flavor was there but I wasn’t keen on the batter they used. Instead of using the traditional potato starch coating that produces a deliciously crunchy crust, the [wet] batter was doughy and on the softer side.
The Pork Katsu Curry Rice ($ 10) was surprisingly very solid… for Bernal Heights:
. The curry sauce is housemade and contains no msg. I ordered it extra spicy, and it seems like they hiked up the spice levels per earlier Unilocal reviews. The curry was nicely thick and fiery with a subtle sweetness. The spices could have been more developed but it was satisfying nonetheless. The katsu was perfectly fried. It was golden, crunchy, and very tender. Just as important was the rice to soak up all that curry, it had just the right amount of stickiness. I added an egg (+$ 2) which was overcooked. Next time, I would request it sunny side up for some egg yolk porn. Make sure to enjoy your curry with the fukujinzuke pickles that are hidden in a metal container next to the salt and pepper shakers.
Against my recommendation of sticking with the curry dishes, Mr. NSS ordered the Beef Teriyaki ($ 11):
. He said it was kinda chewy but alright. I had a piece and it needed more of a sear at a higher temperature and more sauce.
To cool down the heat, we ordered the Mochi Ice Cream ($ 3 each) for dessert:
. It’s just sliced and plated Mikawaya Mochi Ice Cream which I saw them pull from the freezer. The batch they got was old as the mochi was hard, and didn’t have that chewy, toothsome chew.
Service was typical Asian service. Staff was cordial and timely when we asked for things though. We were the only ones there during dinner which was kinda awkward. I think if they offered delivery via Eat24, it may drive more business. I know I would order regularly if they did offer delivery.
Good luck with parking. It can be a hair puller but we eat like old farts so we had no issues at 5 pm.

Had a good experience here couple days go. Place was clean, service was fast, and the food was pretty good!
I liked the garlic flavored edamame and clam in sake sauce, both I would recommend since I haven’t had those else where
Parking could be a problem, and right now space is limited (place was packed most of the time when I was there on a Wednesday at 7pm).