Saturday, May 17, 2008

Foodgasm: Cafe Hiro

My wife and I visited Cafe Hiro in Cypress this evening. I found this amazing restaurant on Yelp a few weeks back. It has been on my list since I first read it's reviews. It did not disappoint.

Let's set the stage. Cafe Hiro is in a strip mall and shares a parking lot with Chilis. The strip mall is located on the edge of an industrial zone populated by various large employers. I would not have known this restaurant was there even if I had been looking for it. It simply blends in with the boring urban landscape.

We arrived late and found all the tables taken. The host offered us two seats at the counter. We watched as the three person wait staff ran an efficient operation. At the same time we were offered a glimpse of the kitchen staff working to prepare our meals. We felt like we were sitting at the chief's table.

We ordered from the menu and the specials board. I've posted our selections below. Our foodgasm started with the Spring Roll.

Appetizers

Peking Pork

Crispy Sea Bass Spring Roll

Main Course

Chinese Chicken Salad

Beef Tongue Stew

Dessert

Banana Millefeuille

Walnut Crème Brûlée

We ate slowly. The appetizer were both delicious. I preferred the Peking Pork. They were juicy little cuts of flavorful pork served like Peking Duck. They exploded with flavor. I ate two, my wife ate the other two. I wanted 30 more.

I think my wife regretted ordering the Chinese Chicken Salad. She assumed the appetizers would be chili sized. Instead the were torture you with taste sized. My Beef Tongue Stew took me back to France. I savored every bite.

My wife watched the dinner plates as they returned from the tables. She commented that they all came back empty. I know why. The food is good to the last drop.

The true test of a restaurant is how they handle Crème Brûlée. Um... it was perfect. I'll be back another go. My wife's Banana Millefeuille was a new taste experience for both of us (I managed a small taste or two). It is a bled of banana custard and chocolate sauce. The dessert managed a perfect balance of two tastes. Yummy!

Our dinner lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes. Service was at a leisurely pace, but attentive. Our dinner costs just of $60 with tip. We did not have alcohol.

What are you waiting for? Go eat.

1 comment:

Rikertron said...

OOOOOH! I absolutely love this place - I work just up the road on Valley View by Cypress College.

I'm not sure where you work, but if you're close enough, I can't recommend their lunch special menu enthusiastically enough.

You get a salad and boul of soup with your entree - this soup is always creamed vegetable of some sort - usually carrot, potato, or pumpkin, and is almost surely laced with crack. It's one of the most delicious things I've had in liquid form.

Their curry is up there on my list as well.

On a related note - California Fish Grill in the same plaza is well worth the trip... you should check it out sometime!