Cafe Hiro
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
83 Reviews for Cafe Hiro
Food was great, loved the ambience, service was a little slow bc they were really busy for a Sunday night. I did not care for nor had much patience with the waiter who barely spoke any English. I wanted penne pasta instead of spaghetti noodles which isn't a huge request but seemed like a big deal to the waiter, perhaps it was due to his limited vocabulary that made my request seem complicated. Nonetheless, he got me what I wanted so "A" for effort. The dessert was good, can't remember what it was called and confusing it with other desserts I've had, but I do recall it was like a chocolate crepe. Will def. b back.
I don't have much to add to all the other reviews people have written for this place. If you like yoshoku-style restaurants and you're looking for one in the OC, you don't really have much in the way of options. Personally, I didn't care too much for their sauteed jidori chicken, but the osso bucco (beef short rib with demi-glace sauce) was delicious. On my last visit, I had sauteed shrimp on sea urchin risotto. I especially liked the risotto; it had a nice, creamy flavor. And for dessert, panna cotta, which was also great. The entrees come with soup and salad, but some of their soup du jours taste a bit weird, and the salad isn't really something to write home about.
Even so, this place is cool if you're into nicer foods, but can't afford to eat at nice places often. Where else can you get Chilean sea bass with risotto for under $20 anyway? Also, I might be alone in having this opinion, but I like how the bowls and plates here never seem to match each other. Non-matching circular plates pWnz0rz boring, trendy square plates any day!
The problem with hype is that you get blue balled more often than you get satisfaction. This was exactly the case when I finally decided to try Cafe Hiro.
Don't get me wrong. It didn't taste bad or anything. Nothing I tried was bad per se. The problem with the food here is that it just didn't taste....neither good nor bad. I swore that I was chewing on something but what it was, I was at a loss.
Chicken cutlet curry - Hot. Clean and light curry sauce with generous portion of chicken. Pleasantly crisp outer crumb coating and extremely moist cuts of chicken. Rice was fluffy, hot, and freshly steamed.
To the eye, everything was great, but to the mouth, everything was a mystery.
Salad and Yam soup are fine. Could do with more salad than the soup but it wasn't anything I can feel malignant about.
I doubt that I'll be returning and I'm at confused as to why this place is so great. Perhaps if I feel adventurous, I'll return and try another dish, perhaps the pasta, but as far as Japanese places go for a quick lunch, if the chicken cutlet curry isn't good, then I'm going to have to say no to the menu.
You never know. I may come again but definitely not any time soon.
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I went to Cafe Hiro for dinner with my husband and my parents. We all enjoyed our entrees but the soup of day was incredibly bland. I had the roast duck salad and would recommend it to anyone who likes game. It was delicious. I also had the panna cotta. I give that an A ++!
The decor is quaint and unique, and the ambience slightly confusing. Italian? Asian? Japanese? I wasn't sure. And looking over the menu was similarly baffling.
I went here for lunch and ordered the chicken katsu curry. I was a little overwhelmed by the variety on the menu and decided I should gauge the restaurant first by their take on a familiar dish.
Hm unfortunately I've had better. The curry simply wasn't my taste, a little too smooth and had a bit of an unwelcome tang to it. The katsu was fine, if unremarkable. To be fair though, I'm still reserving judgment for the next time I go there and try something that I don't already have strong preferences for.
I've heard great things about this place, and maybe I just wasn't looking in the right direction to see it.
I used to come here back when it looked like a dingy little hole in the wall place, except when you actually walked in it had one of the best interior designs you'd ever see. That was back about 5-6 years ago, so I haven't been here recently but I can attest to the fact that the food is amazing. Although it is very expensive, it's somewhere you'd come for a special occasion, such as a birthday, anniversary, or maybe you'd want to propose to someone? I don't know. Anyway, I've never had asian fusion like I've had it here..I definitely recommend checking out this place.
The food was good (1 star). The decor is pleasant and eclectic, and the wall murals are well done (1 star). The sake was ridiculously overpriced (found the same bottle, a third of the cost elsewhere). The service was slow and more than a little brusque. A meal for two with only one drink and one starter took more than two hours. If you go, you'd better REALLY like talking to your dinner companion, because there won't be much else to do.
And I would have given more stars for the food alone, but the meal was started with a pretty hefty insult:
Pray that if you go, someone isn't buddies with the staff, because we put our names on the list, and the hostess spied some of her friends and gave them the table the other hostess (why they needed 2 for a place with only 20 tables I'll never know) had told us they were cleaning for us. I even looked at the list and we were next for the two-top. We were pretty pissed.
I'm pretty forgiving about places, but I don't think I'll waste my time here again. You'll have better luck going to Dragon 21 next door, for attentive service and good food. And better prices.
Parking is in a lot that caters to the 8 or so restaurants in the same row of buildings, so plan ahead with enough time to circle like a vulture until you find a spot.
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Very good chicken here. I wanted to try this place because of the high marks here on Yelp and I was pleasantly surprised with the food. Its not your typical cafe with generic menu items. Here you get to pick from some different foods. Definitely a try if you like to eat new foods. Eat up.
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I was taken here for my most recent birthday dinner and was pleasantly surprised by the decor, food, and company. Despite being tucked in a semi-boring shopping plaza, Cafe Hiro caters to delightfuls and joys.
We ordered the Sashimi Tartare to start, Beef Tongue (He called me gutsy) and Chilean Seabass (He wasn't so gutsy). We shared Sake in an impressive round-and-iced bottle, and drank and ate the night away.
Atmosphere was eclectic, creating moods of tranquility and excitement all in one.
Best part of the courses was the Panna Cotta, though this may be because I am a sweets-queen. He took one bite, and I made sure I had the rest.
One of my best birthday dinners ever. Will celebrate an un-birthday here soon.
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Yelp-ers, what follows is not a *review*, per se, so much as free *advice*.
Let's be real -- you've all heard the hype, and you know it's largely justified. Cafe Hiro is a hidden gem of a restaurant showcasing a brilliant young chef at prices not too different than what you'd pay for some middle-brow teriyaki crap at Outback Steakhouse. You're coming here anyway, you just want to get the most out of your experience.
Knowing all that, you're looking for the best of what Cafe Hiro has to offer. Well, allow me to make some suggestions.
For starters, depending on the season they offer the Miso-marinated 'saikyo' King Salmon. This is, without a doubt, the single best dish Cafe Hiro produces. It's simply immaculate. But at least half of the year, Hiro doesn't sell it. During this time, they'll offer a different fish prepared in a similar style -- the Miso-marinated Cod, for instance. Don't buy it. It's not bad, but it's not up to the same standard.
Opt for Osso Bucco or the Jidori Chicken instead. The duck is tasty, too!
The pasta is a mixed bag. Avoid the pasta. Again, it's not bad -- you will never walk away from Cafe Hiro feeling ripped off -- but you won't get the same special, magical feeling that the other entrees provide. A feeling of inevitable jealousy creeps over you as your pasta dish doesn't measure up to the incredible flavors your friends are sampling.
The appetizers give you a tiny amount of food for their price -- if you're at Cafe Hiro to experience fine dining on a budget, you're better off ordering an odd extra entree and splitting it amongst your group. But if you're going to get one, the salmon spring rolls are the best of the bunch. It's six dollars for what is essentially a single, very large egg roll stuffed with salmon in a mayonnaise-y sauce, but it's tasty as hell. Definitely a 'quality, not quantity' buy.
And lastly, a bit of advice about the salad! As other reviews have mentioned, each entree comes with the soup of the day (which never disappoints) and the house salad. The house salad is covered in ponzu sauce, which is a bit bitter and an acquired taste at best.
Instead, ask your waiter to substitute Yuzu sauce (pronounced 'Yoo-zoo') on the side. It's a sauce they make for some other dishes that's a bit more sweet and citrus-y, and more tasty on the salad than the standard ponzu!
Since some reviewers on here have mentioned the salad as the weak point of their meal, hopefully this will help.
For dessert, there is no exception -- Panna Cotta, Panna Cotta, Panna Cotta. As with the rest of Cafe Hiro, there are no land mines on the menu to avoid, but this one is a cut above.
Cafe Hiro is a special place, and I hope you all appreciate it as much as I have -- I've made over a dozen visits. The above advice is meant merely to perfect your experience, and if I've scared anyone away from visiting, I've failed at my goal.
If anyone can name a better fusion restaurant in Orange County for the price, I'll eat my foot.
Best,
Joe
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very good, i ordered the appetizer which consisted of some oysters and the scallops for main dish, the ambiance is very nice and the service is good, I wasn't sure whether the influence of the food was japanese/french/american?-whatever, it was good just the same.
Tried this place for the first time with the bf and we left stuffed and happy! The sea bass was cooked perfectly... didn't care too much for the mushroom risotto but the Panna Cotta at the end made up for it!! The portions are perfect so that I can order appetizer and still have room for dessert.
Thanks yelp! Would have never known about this place if it weren't for you.
Can't wait to go back!!
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Let me start out by saying that I have moved from OC up to LA, and I still come down once a month or so to eat here. This is simply the most special restaurant to me. I probably ate here for the first time about four years ago, and have been coming back ever since.
The atmosphere of this place is so happy, it truly makes me smile. It's casual, upbeat, and unpretentious. They used to play a lot of reggae, which I didn't quite understand, but I still enjoyed. My only complaint about this place is that I miss my old server Jun, as he moved away to Japan!
The appetizers here are quite good. The ahi tuna tartar is very savory. I like the little zing of balsamic vinegar that they drizzle over the wonton chips. I never waste a bite of this appetizer. The peking pork is delectable and highly recommended. The slices of pork have a nice little strip of fat at the top which makes the dish even more decadent.
My old standby is the seared diver scallop with mushroom risotto. It is really excellent. I've eaten a lot of risotto in my day, and tend to like this one the most.
I've never had a bad dessert here. I usually get at least the panna cotta, which is rich, creamy, and benefits from the tang of the fruits sprinkled on top. The green tea blanc mange is sort of a green tea mousse with red bean on the bottom, and is so good! The pot de creme au chocolat is really rich and tasty as well. If you go on a night where they are serving the bread pudding, please do yourself a favor and try it; it is really excellent.
Is it delusional to be considering getting an apartment next to Cafe Hiro and commuting to LA, so that I could eat here every day?
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Oh, Panna Cotta.
You make my heart sing.
You make everything groovy.
Panna Cotta, I think I love you.
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Currently, my favorite place to eat. Right down the street from where I live and serves actual REAL food mastered by a real chef. Favorites include beef tongue stew, jidori "free range" chicken, roast pork over sweet corn risotto...
For dessert, their crossaunt bread putting is a must.. of course, you have to catch them when they have it cause it's one of their specials.
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This place could totally be in Tokyo, except for you can breathe without choking on cigarette smoke. The food, western with a clear Japanese influence; the decor, simple and spare; the staff, Japanese (duh); the music, Western, but not all that familiar.
The big difference is cost. You'd pay more than US$100 (no kidding) in Tokyo for what you get here for around $30. Paper napkin, if that's an issue. Not a white tablecloth place, if that's what you're expecting.
After reading both Yelp and Zagat's reviews I think I had my expectations set somewhat too high. It was good, and certainly very good for the area, but not 5* great. Good marks for creativity, though, and for providing a quality product in an area where it's probably under appreciated. This restaurant could easily be in West LA and double its prices.
I showed up around 7PM on a Wednesday with no reservation expecting a wait, but I was seated immediately. (Reservations aren't offered on www.opentable.com.) Parking in the adjacent lot was easy, though I can see how it could go from ok to awful pretty quickly.
Certainly there are a bunch of interesting menu options. After negotiating with the helpful waiter, I got the beef tataki, Chilean Sea Bass with mushroom risotto, and a draft Kirin (note to self: find out next time where the Kirin is brewed--Japan or LA).
First up was an ok salad. Next potato soup, which was interesting and pretty well done.
The beef appetizer was good. I couldn't quite get the accompanying condiments to come together. They seemed too mild for the beef + sliver of garlic + mild onions accompanying the beef. I'd order this again and try additional ways of using the condiments.
The fish and risotto were pretty good, though the risotto was somewhat more intense than the fish and came close to overwhelming it. I'd probably wouldn't get that exact combination again, but it was certainly worth trying. It was somewhat similar to what you might get at a Roy's (www.roysrestaurant.com), though you'd pay a lot more at Roy's.
I was too full for the dessert after having pigged out on a big Vietnamese bun lunch.
Service was helpful and attentive throughout. The menu really demands a return visit, or several. Good thing for opportunistic diners targeting this place is that the restaurant is among several others, which I'd guess siphon off a fair number of competitors for a table.
I think I'll ask the staff to get some Tokyo restaurant recommendations from the chef on my next visit.
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I've been here several times, and although just about everything else on the menu sounds amazing, I can never resist ordering the jidori chicken curry because I love it so much. Can't help it -- I'm a big fan of good curry! Curry House used to be my favorite place for Japanese-style curry, but not until I tried the curry at Cafe Hiro a few years ago! The curry here is definitely made with care! Sweeter than Curry House, and excellent use of spices and whatever else the curry is made of! I admire the fact that they choose to use free range chicken at Cafe Hiro. And it's nice to see different specials everytime I go there. I've also ordered the ahi poke appetizer on occasion, which is prepared much differently than what I'm used to eating in Hawaii, but it's good. The truffles they sometimes give you at the end of your meal are a nice treat! Servers are always friendly and provide excellent service when not too busy, but when it gets crowded here, you may end up waiting longer than usual for your bill or for a table without a reservation. I give this place 4 stars for its consistency, creativity, and friendly service.
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We stumbled upon this place as we were driving home from class this evening. Nina was hungry and I can always eat so we decided to go to this Japanese restaurant with neon lighting. When we parked the car our headlights shined on the semi tinted windows of Cafe Hiro. We ditched the initial thought and hit this place, primarily out of Nina's hungry curiosity.
At first glance, one would think that this place is an Italian restaurant in the wrong part of town. But as we perused their menu we were amazed at the delightful tasty meals aptly named for their ingredients such as 'Sea Urchin Spaghetti' or 'Benito-Miso-Bacon-Egg Plant Penne'. If you are in the area or heck take the drive you will be tripped out. It screams Italian with Japanese ingredients. Great place to eat, so much so that I wanted to eat more. Prices were moderate. Save some room for the Panna Cotta, it is worth the 8 bucks.
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One of my top 10 of All time in So Cal. I already love Japanese Food, but when you spin it with French/Italian influences all bundled up in a California Bistro, its "fantabulous."
I moved out to the OC three years ago, and this place is perfectly hidden from the hub bub of so cal. Cypress isn't Beverly Hills nor is it little Tokyo, but that's what makes this place special. Inside decor is cozy and warm. Wine list is good, beer is always cold.
I may be a bit biased, but I have not had one BAD dish yet. Some of my favs include:
All Apps
Hamburg Steak
Chilean Sea Bass
Ahi Tuna
Jidori Chicken
Curry
Oso Buco
Panna Cota
They don't mind kids, but its really more for small couples and groups of four for dining.
Reservations are highly recommended. If you walk-in, prepare to wait.
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I remembered my ex-boyfriend pointed this restaurant out to me one night when I was about to visit the Thai restaurant situated in the same strip mall. Thank goodness I gave heed to his advice and decided to take a glimpse at their menu and setting. What I found was a delightful surprise! To say Cafe Hiro is a great neighborhood find is an understatement. You would never imagine such a high quality restaurant, like Hiro, be located in a strip mall, much less in Cypress. The distinct and unique style of the fare (Japanese infused with a French and Italian flair) combined with the quality of the ingredients is pretty remarkable. Best of all, it is reasonably priced! I ordered the Chilean sea bass with asparagus and it was $18, whereas it is usually priced at $25+ at other restaurants considering that it is the filet mignon of fish. My ex had the osso bucco which was tender to the touch. The flavors of the dishes were perfect where it didn't overpower the main star. It was also perfectly portioned, giving you enough room to share an appetizer and dessert. If you are going to order dessert, please take mine as well as other yelpers advice...order the panna cotta! I'm not a big fan of desserts but this is definitely the perfect finish to a perfect meal. It is a semi-sweet taste of heaven!
The wait staff is friendly, although I did have some difficulty understanding our waitress. The dining area is small so if you're going to go on a weekend, make sure you're there at least an hour before you're hungry. The wine selection was moderate, nothing to write home about but it'll suffice. Hiro is interestingly adorned with Japanese room separators and eclectic wall murals, making it an intimate and warm experience.
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By far, i recommend yellowfin w/ bufallo mozarella for appetizer. (i had beef tataki and fire fries as well)
I recommend uni spaghetti and chilean sea bass for entree (had shrimp w/ uni risotto and ahi tuna w/ sesame, they're ok)
For desert, get bread pudding (it was special for the day) and panna cotta. The chocolate pot and creme brullee is good as well. Wanted to try the sorbet but they ran out.
First visit, servers were great and attentive. Made reservation 1 hour prior to arrival, didn't have to wait when we get there.
Second visit, bad service. We came back the next day because the first day was just flawless.. Two of the servers from previous night were there, they were really attentive the night before, and then there was one server who seemed to be the head server. This head server took our order, 1 order of appetizer, they totally forgot about it.
The two servers from the previous night ended up serving us, the head server who previously took our order never came back until the time to collect our bill.
I ordered wine, never came out, and i was charged for it. They took the wine off the bill though.
All the servers were really nice, but forgetting orders can ruin the experience.
I would come back again, and recommend this restaurant, but i guess i need to be more active to get my orders right. Chef Hiro is nice, and gifted. Both of us really enjoy the food that he prepared, but he needs to ensure the quality of his server as well.
I ate here last night (my fourth time) and cannot wait to go again, especially since I live closer now. The uni pasta is totally addicting and puts a big smile on my face every time. I have read many reviews and plan on pushing my boyfriend to order the osso buco next time so I can have a bite and since I have to order my uni pasta. Very reasonably priced for the quality and presentation. Carrot soup was delicious too.
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pretty cute restaurant. i've been here several times, but always for lunch so i don't know how this place is like for dinner. pretty cute/eclectic decor, and each meal comes with tasty soup (my fav. is pumpkin puree) and salad with japanese-style dressing. you can't go wrong here if you order jidori chicken.
if i had rated this place months ago, i would have given it a 5 star. the only reason why i took out a star is because the food quality and the service have ever so slightly deteriorated since this place became popular. also, do not order creme brulee here - you'll regret it.
My wife and I just got back from a very pleasant meal at Hiro Cafe.
The menu is very close to a lot of the "fusion" restaurant we enjoeyed when we lived in Japan. They really have an intersting take on mixing Japanese cuisine and in this case Italian.
I see that a lot of people have rated this as a 5 star and the only reason I gave it 4 is because the service was a bit slow. Parking was a huge pain and the wine list was just OK.
As to the food, I enjoyed one of the specials. It was the Sauted Pork loin over a sweet corn risotto. The corn was suprisingly fresh but not so sweet and I believ it was a mild ponzu sauce over the pork. It was a very pleasant meal but the flavors would be what I would cal SUBTLE...there was nothing that really grabbed me from the salad, to the soup and even the entree. I would not call the dishes plain because they did have a very nice flavor it was just that it was all very SUBTLE.
All in all we enjoyed a very pleasant dining experience and will return to try some of the other dishes.
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Bring your cameras. The food here is worthy of your food blog photos.
What a great find! I cannot believe this place exists in an Orange County strip mall.
There's a delicate nature to Chef Hiro's food. I don't mean the food is bland though. He takes the best ingredients (sea urchin roe, scallops, Roquefort blue cheese, oysters and more all appeared in the 5-course prix fixe meal we had last night for Valentine's) and greats fanciful and exciting dishes.
Great, great meal. It's exciting to go to a new place and feel like there's a strong entity in the kitchen. I'm excited to go back, and I can't stop raving about it to my friends at work.
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Today's chef challenge: satisfy a hungry yelper who has no reservations and is trying to impress a date because of the rave reviews he's read about Cafe Hiro on Yelp. To toughen the challenge, 25 Japanese businessmen from Mitsubishi roll into the tiny restaurant before him and are hungry and ready to drink up a storm. Will they get preferential treatment leaving the hapless yelper embarrassed and starving about his choice? Is Chef Hiro and Cafe Hiro up to the challenge?
Look they are placing the yelper and his date on the counter because that is all the room they have. Ohhh, he doesn't look happy, but wait, he is smiling. I guess it gives him a good vantage point to watch Chef Hiro at work. All the waitresses are busy getting bottles of wine and pitchers of beer and taking orders from the guys from Mitsubishi. The yelper looks worried that he'll get neglected. Look someone is taking his drink order. Cafe Hiro's service is on the ball.
The first dish that is served is the salad, basic greens with a rather tasty dressing, tangy with a bit of zesty spice. Very nice, a few tomatoes thrown in would have made it perfect. Next up, mushroom soup. Pleasantly surprised, light, but full of wonderful flavor. Very good. The appetizer of scallops and asparagus is next. The presentation is wonderful with the sauce used as a design on the plate. Oh soo good, why are there only three scallops for two people?
Now for the main course, Sea bass with mushroom rissoto and for the date, seared ahi with eggplant and greens. The sea bass is excellent and the risotto tasty, even to the yelper who isn't a big fan of risotto. The seared ahi is perfect with the tender eggplant melting in your mouth.
Cafe Hiro, you have met the challenge under the most difficult circumstances. Chef Hiro, it was a privilege watching your cool demeanor and calmness preparing the meals for a full restaurant. You get five stars.
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The first time I came here I was MORTIFIED at how terrible my experience was:
I went with a co-worker and we ordered the chef's special written on the blackboard: "Hamburg Steak" (some type of hamburger style steak). After writing our order down, he came back after 5 minutes and proceeded to tell us "there was only one hamburg steak lunch special left" and quickly took down the blackboard and erased the lunch special. Disgruntled, I volunteered to change my order to Beef Curry. They came immediately returned and said that they didn't have any beef left today and I had to change my order yet again to Chicken Curry.
It was super crowded and service was EXTREMELY SLOW. We only had an hour for lunch and the whole order changing process had taken 15, 20 minutes. They took 15 minutes to bring the soups, another 15 minutes after we were done eating the soups to bring salads and same with the entrees. The whole lunch took us 2 hours and after waiting a long time for them to see us to get the check we just went to up to the cash register to pay.
The curry itself was very mediocre. The chicken was only dark meat and very fatty.
After that miserable experience, I never thought I would return again. Yet, I did. I kept hearing more great things about this place so I came back, willing to keep an open mind and give it another try.
This time I ordered the Spicy Caviar/ "Mentaiko" Spaghetti. My lunch mate ordered the Chicken Curry. The service was again slow as molasses. When we finally got our main dish, the waitress brought 2 Chicken Curries. I was visibly upset and said I had ordered the spaghetti, she didn't even bring me the wrong type of spaghetti, she had brought me an entirely different dish. Without an apology she asked me what dish I wanted and walked away. I had to wait another 20 minutes to receive the spaghetti, it was surprisingly good but pungent and the fishy smell stayed on my clothes and hair for the entire day.
Even though it was half as crowded, the service was even slower. If you happen to have 2 hours for lunch and you go, try not to get the waitress with black hair and grayish teeth. She is very absent minded and doesn't care until she knows you are writing the tip.
Both times I only got a simple casual sorry at the cash register and not even a free dessert or anything.
I VOW NEVER TO EAT HERE AGAIN.
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thank you all for this recommendation, for without it, I probably woudlve been at the olive garden..just from looking outside, we can see that it was a very busy night.
i went there with my friend and i ordered the scallops with mushroom risotto and she had the carbonara pasta with mushrooms and spinach. at first she was skeptical - she doesnt yelp and wasnt feeling the vibe there. then when she got her pasta, she was a believer. I agree that there was a lack of salt in the risotto, but it was effortless to add some of my own, so i appreciate Cafe Hiro for making it they way they did. we also were served soup of the day..which my friend and i debated about...i thought it was like corn bisque...she thought peanut butter and something else. we asked the waitress, and she said it was pumpkin..and it was very light and flavorful at the same time...
The place is very charming, and im sad that it doesnt accommodate some more people because the people had to wait out side the restaurant as there was no waiting area in the place.
unfortunately we were not able to order dessert, partly because i was already full .but i saw it from other tables...and i was mad at myself for finishing my meal, even though it was in the back of my head to save room...
The service is good, i mean the place was packed, there were three servers, one of whom was new, i overheard. but they were very nice and refilled our drinks on time.
Between the two of us, our was under 40, without tip...so it was fairly reasonable, especially for a friday night. Being Catholic and this is Lent, my choices were limited, but i definitely would like to come back and try their steak or chicken options....
so again, thanks....i NEVER wouldve tried this, and i have been in that plaza many times before...eating here made me feel like i was a part of a top chef competition, because i never experienced food like this (japanese/italian)....i had to give t four stars, to save room for when i try more of their menu options...
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One of my favorite dishes here: Osso Bucco. It's a pot roast made from kobe beef and potatoes, carrots, done w/ a reduction (i am guessing red wine variety). The beef is incredibly tender. I don't know why the waitress bothers to bring you a knife. Probably to cut the potatoes and carrots. This dish alone won over my buddy - who's a fickle eater.
DO try the chef's specials for the day. You never know new favorite dishes you might find there. And DO make reservations, even if its just 2 people: it will save you time.
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Great fusion, like being in Tokyo....
Luv the chef specials and the shochu is nice if that is your pleasure...
Attentive service, fun free range chickens, savory sea bass, al dente pastas... what's not to like....oh, the wait for a table!
Osso bucco.....oh so nice.... easy parking.
Let me say first to the waitress that we had tonight I had accidentally short tip her about $4. I am an idiot. I need to go back to grade school. With that said, I'll now give my two cents x 800 and hopefully that'll make it up for now. I just wanted to also say this accident has no bearing on my rating of this place.
This was the perfect opportunity for us to come here since it was 1) HS birthday and 2) she craved fish and 3) I've been wanting to come here ever since I joined Yelp. Everyone wrote on how good the food was but did not mention how much it costs. (note: I just re-read some reviews and a couple of yelpers gave ranges, my bad!) I was a little afraid that it would break the bank. But since it was for a birthday dinner, I said why not? Well, as it turned out, the menu was a pleasant surprise. All dishes were under $20 (see picture). I'm sure some of you folks would like to have an idea what they serve so just go and click on the menu because their website I think is self hosted. It's sometimes live and sometimes off.
Do make a note of the specials on the board before you come in and also above the cash register. I didn't get the special because I saw roasted duck breast over risotto for $16??? Where can you get that? I mean, really. We also ordered the calamari $6. That was lightly breaded and it was on the bigger side, though it quantity wise, it wasn't that much.
Before the food came, I took notice of the decor. It looked like old Spanish meets outdoorsy, woody furniture. I'm not sure what they are trying to voice here, but it works. It felt cozy and I never took notice of the kitchen because we were looking to the side of it. It's a nice place to take that special someone.
If you order the entree, you get a soup which was a miso, ginger type of dressing over a small bed of lettuce. I wasn't too impressed but the split pea soup was nice and creamy with a bite to it. My entre came shortly afterwards along with everyone's dishes. I loved my duck dish. If I had to pick on it, I would like to have the skin a little bit crispier. Hey, who wouldn't love crispy skin off of any animal?
In short, the food was very innovative, reasonably priced, parking can be challenging if you come late, nice attentive service, a solid 4.5 stars. I am sure I WILL be back! I hope this review will bring Cafe Hiro at least $4.
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Hiro had me at hello. Spaghetti with preserved plum?? I knew this place had to be authentic when I saw this on the menu, as the last time I had spaghetti with ume was in the Harajuku district of Tokyo. And this is only because I mistook the preserved plum balls for meatballs when looking at the menu.
I know this place is fusion but the decor threw me for a bit of a loop, with a giant sun painted on the wall, red gingham tablecloths and eclectic music, changing from English, Italian and French songs while I was there. It was still all a very homey atmosphere, and the servers are friendly.
The food is great and shows the depth of Chef Hiro's credentials, as he was classically trained in both Japan and France (I learned this while reading the framed articles in the loo). My friend and I had edamame, salmon rolls, miso cod over a bed of oyster and shitake mushrooms. The cod was perfectly, lightly sauced, and it came with a a salad and a soup. I didn't care much for the gingery dressing, but the crab/lobster (crobster?) bisque was yummy.
And for dessert, walnut creme brulee was good, but the green tea blancmange was exceptional. Basically a firm green tea pudding, with azuki beans at the bottom, and a bitter matcha syrup on top = we scraped that one clean. Can't wait to try this place again when I'm in LA!
Maybe I had too high of an expectation after reading the reviews here. Although we went for a weekday lunch, service was on a slower side (maybe because we were sitted towards the back). We tried their Pescatore and Carbonara. Pescatore was okay but Carbonara was bit disappointing.. Their bacons were burnt..
I liked their soup and salad, price was reasonable too.
*note: please tell me if you know of a Japanese pasta place with good Carbonara. I liked Blue Marlin in Santa Monica, but it's tad far from where I live (anaheim) :(
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If ever you are in Cypress and want a good fusion Japanese/Italian meal, I recommend you try Cafe Hiro. It's a wonderful little restaurant that produces some good quality meals with flare. Hiro's makes some hardy dishes, not like the finger food portions of most Beverly Hill's restaurants. Hiro's chief is an artisian and makes some stunning food creations (e.g. a tower of Ahi tuna on bed of sprouts and sauce). Hiro's is a hidden food gem in Cypress
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hiro cafe
well i actually came across this place much by accident,luckily it was an accident that turned out to be Delicious and worth the gamble.
as i and a couple of friends entered i noticed the eclectic decor and couldn't help looking up at the cloud painted ceiling and some what random pictures on the wall.i have been there a few times now and still find my eyes wondering around.
the ambiance is very casual and has a tone of charm,there is one part of the restaurant of to the side towards the restroom that is more intimate.
as for the food its fantastic.i was a bit confused as what to order the first time there but wasn't intimidated by the menu.
the food seems very genuine with flavors from a few different cultures,Japanese,french,Indian.all in all the food has always been a plea sent surprise both on presentation and taste.
i would highly recommend hiro cafe to anyone looking for new taste and especially couples who are looking for a new restaurant to call there own
I used to come here more often when I worked at PacifiCare but since it's close by church, we decided to eat here for lunch on this rainy Sunday afterwards. It's in the center with Sweetee Thai, Fish Grill and Chili's. Parking is a bit tight but doable. The restaurant is not very large but gives you a feeling that you're not in OC- you have soothing music in the background, ecletic art on the walls and a friendly Japanese staff that seated the 8 of us promptly. They have daily specials but I decided to order the chicken cutlet off their menu that comes with soup and salad. It did take a while for the food to arrive. The salad was basic mixed greens and japanese dressing which was nice and light. Secondly, the yam soup which was a bit watery. The entree was good- Chicken cutlet with sides of spaghetti and au gratin potatoes (two nice surprises) with the demi glaze (wine like) and ponzu dressing along with white rice. The cutlet was crispy and tasty with the two dressings. The spaghetti was al dente and light. For $12, this was a great deal and i even had leftovers of cutlet to bring home. The service was great- they were okay even with the request of separate bills for a few of us.
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Um, if "Asian Fusion" means blending more culinary influences than the UN has countries, then Cafe Hiro is your place.
I'm always a bit skeptical on Asian Fusion. Being Filipina myself, it's always a real crap shoot at these places for me. The place is seriously as big as half a Sizzler salad bar area. My two friends and I went on a Tuesday night, so although we still made reservations just to be sure (when I arrived early, every table was taken), it's a lot more dependable to give this place a shot on a random weekday, since there's no way the dining area could accommodate realistically more than about 40 people at a time. Because of the limited size of the place, it makes it a tiny bit intimidating at first. But not to be outdone by our homies out there, however, my friends and I brought our own bottle of wine to enjoy. Highly recommended.
Anyway, we started off the night with the creamy crabcakes and ahi tuna tartare. The tuna was seasoned and spiced well, but it wasn't anything completely out of the ordinary -- whereas the crab cakes, now we're talking! Being a Washington DC/Baltimore transplant, I have to admit to being a big crab cake addict/critic, and these cakes were so unique in their texture and flavor. They were perfectly rich for an appetizer. Also highly recommended!
Since there were three of us in the group, we all decided to order three entrees from the menu and just split them. We ultimately decided on the uni spaghetti and Chilean sea bass with asparagus, but needed a little wait staff recommendation on the curry. She brightly suggested the pork cutlet curry.
First up: the curry. It was basically pork katsu (Japanese) with a sweeter-sauced curry accompaniment (more resembling Thai curry than Indian curry) and white rice. Not being a huge fan of the katsu variety myself, I thought it was delicious. The pork was breaded well but not overly so, and the sauce was unlike any other 'curry' I'd ever tasted anywhere. It was like a well proportioned blend of katsu sauce, Thai basil, the consistency of peanut sauce, and a dab of mirin-like taste at the very end.
Secondly: the sea bass. Cooked to perfection, although with a fish as fatty as CSB, not sure there's any real way to 'mis-cook' it. The sauce that accompanied it was light and not overpowering at all, allowing the natural flavor of the fish to really shine. What was most impressive (since CSB done right is impressive in its own right) was the lemon-buttery sauce with the asparagus spears. Delicious and complemented everything just right.
And of course, last but not least: the uni spaghetti. This was so good that we ordered another bowl right after we finished the first. At first I was REALLY skeptical of the concept of this dish -- uni + spaghetti = ??? I felt like we were truly throwing Asian Fusion caution to the wind here. But once we dug in, it turned out to be one of the most delicious combinations ever invented. The uni flavor was absolutely perfect, and the toasted nori on top just made the texture/flavor combination just that much more awesome. Again, I must stress my dubious distrust of all things "Asian Fusion," but delectable delights like this definitely don't take away any brownie points in my book.
For dessert we had the creme brulee, which just seemed so mediocre compared to the uni spaghetti. We stuck around at the insistence of the wait staff (which was NICE for a change!) for a pitcher of beer, which