Hiro Cafe, Cypress, CA

Went after work to celebrate my friend, Tim Lee's birthday today. Except one of our friends that joined us, Daniel Chang told the waitstaff that I was gonna write a review about their food. I wanted to smack him for that. LOL. You never tell the waitstaff for a reason: so you won't end up with a biased experience.

Beef Tataki



Thinly Sliced and Seared beef topped with Roasted Garlic. Daikon, Scallions and Ponzu on the side.

Judgment: The beef was rich and flavorful and the accompaniment of the toppings just enriched the flavors all the more. This is one of my favorite dishes at this restaurant, if only the portion was bigger. 9 / 10

Seared Ahi Tune Poke



Seared Tuna over a bed of mixed greens with noodles and sauce

Judgment: Like the other dishes I've eaten at Cafe Hiro, the ingredients and flavor are always fresh. The tuna was seared in an interesting way. It did not taste how I expected but actually a bit better. It almost felt like eating a piece of pork rather than tuna. 8 / 10

Fresh Salad



Chopped Lettuce with Citrus Dressing

Judgment: A vibrant and refreshing salad. The simple presentation and subtle tastes make the dish. 8 / 10

Soup



Creamy Soup

Judgment: It was really too bad I didn't catch the name of the soup. It was actually quite delicious. Like most soups served here, it was at a temperature where you could just dig right in and polish off the bowl. There was a taste of potatoes that lingered around when you drank it. 8 / 10

Osso Bucco



Braised Wagyu Short Rib with mixed vegetables

Judgment: This dish made the night for me. I have always wanted to try the Osso Bucco here and tonight was the night. The beef was fork tender and broke apart easily. The sauce was richly seasoned and the cream offset the saltiness of the sauce perfectly. The vegetables were prepared to the right temperature, it was not mushy at all. All in all the dish was put together nicely. 9 / 10

Panna Cotta



Fresh Yogurt with Strawberries, Kiwi, Blueberries and Blackberry. Topped with blackberry sauce

Judgment: I'm a big fan of Panna Cotta and this is no exception. It was great. Subtly sweet and went well with all the fruit items. 9 /10

Conclusion: Hiro Cafe is a very nice and cozy restaurant. It is easily overlooked, but those people that know about the restaurant really enjoy the secret treasure they have to themselves. The waitstaff is very friendly and they were even willing to play credit card roulette with us when it was time to pay.

The Restaurant gets an A-Rank.