CAFE HIRO - CYPRESS, CA

Bruddah Stevay aka Stevie showed up at my office for lunch and he wanted to eat something good, like GOOD good. I knew exactly where to take him. 

I feel pretty spoiled when I get to eat here for lunch. It's a nice joint with some good flavors for food. I was introduced to Chef Hiro and talked to him on many occasions. He's traveled and studied all over the world, across Europe and even to small hole in the walls in Hawaii. 

It's Japanese-Italian fusion at Cafe Hiro, sometimes with a slight Hawaiian twist too. Which comes as a surprise to many but Japanese-Italian restaurants isn't anything new. This 'fusion' has been around for a long time; maybe 30 years as I personally recall. My mom had taken me to a few hip spots around Tokyo as a kid visiting relatives. The daily lunch specials are always interesting. Even the not-so-interesting descriptions like "breaded white fish" is many times a big surprise when it arrives in front of you.

Stevie started with a beer. I forget what he had. I don't drink so I can never remember! It's his day off so he was enjoying it to its fullest. If it was my day off and I drank beer, I would'a had one too.

All lunches come with a nice green, leafy little salad.

Also includes a soup, which was potato soup that day. Changes daily.

Stevie went with the "black pig loin" pork cutlet curry, "hot". It wasn't hot enough for our fire-tongued man, so he actually ended up pouring on even MORE hot curry sauce into this. 

All Japanese style curries must be eaten with these 2 pickled delights and some sweet raisins.

I had the free-range chicken cutlet curry, "mild". Each level of their curries are made with a different flavor. I've actually had them all, but I like the flavor of mild the best. Maybe mild with a little hot sauce poured on would be perfect. Their curries are also thickened with mashed up potatoes instead of flour, which gives it some uniqueness when compared to the standard lunch time curry affair.

If you haven't checked this place out yet and you live in the LB/OC area, you really need to. Date night with your chick or even a nice lunch with a bruddah from anoda mada or whatever, make the effort to eat here. It's one of those places I highly recommend. Note that lunch and dinner menus are almost completely different too, including their daily specials!

*If you're feeling extra adventurous and dining here at night, ask if Chef Hiro is in and let him do a "omakase" (oh-ma-ka-say), which is to let the chef choose what to serve you. He'll keep feeding you with little dishes, most likely "tapas style", until your belly's full of some happy-goodness.

10509 Valley View St
Cypress, CA 90630

(714) 527-6090