About Cafe Hiro
Beyond their size, small businesses are defined by their spirit. And at the helm are their intrepid founders—scrappy, ambitious, and resilient. They invent and build things despite uncertainty, because it’s what drives them. Their risks lead to innovation that moves the world forward. And we need them.
Cafe Hiro is a textbook hole-in-the-wall. You wouldn’t think much of the unassuming restaurant at first glance, but the inside is decorated with just the right amount of whimsy and charm that makes you question if you’re really still in Cypress. The ceiling is painted to look like the sky, and the walls create the ambiance of an outdoor bistro on a Parisian street. There’s even a moody little alleyway strung up with fairy lights and warm lighting where you can sit. Service was great. The workers are very kind and professional. The menu consists mostly Japanese style western food - Hamburg steak, pasta, and the like. Their signature dish is the uni pasta. As someone who isn’t the biggest uni fan, it’s delicious. The uni flavor is strongly present without the typical uni texture, blending beautifully in the sauce. The rich, creamy sauce is lit up delightfully by wasabi, surprisingly lacking the harshness you would expect from typical wasabi. The pasta was cooked perfectly as well. The Hamburg steak and risotto dishes are also decent choices. The appetizers are also definitely worth getting. I recommend the Peking pork bao buns and the fried chicken. The cook was perfect and the flavors are delicious. The standout dish for me, however, was the bread pudding with bitter caramel sauce. It was genuinely the perfect dessert. The bitter caramel sauce complemented the soft bread pudding. It was not too sweet and the burnt butter taste from the caramel added a depth to the dish. I highly recommend Cafe Hiro.
If you haven't visited this gem in the city of Cypress, you should! It was established back in 2002 and if that doesn't tell you enough about this restaurant, them come and sample their scallop carpaccio appetizer, sauteed mushroom salad, kurobuta pork cutlet, sauteed spinach & sea urchin spaghetti, or panna cotta with fresh berries and you'll know why this establishment has been here for almost a quarter century. Chef Hiro and his staff take care in preparing all of their dishes and the customer service is always on excellent. They get busy, so I would recommend coming early and making reservations so you can take your time eating. If you like Japanese fusion, definitely give Cafe Hiro a try the next time you're in the area!
Chose to have the omakase dinner which is served family style ($46 per person). The package includes three appetizers (we chose - scallops carpaccio (thinly sliced radish on top of scallops topped with shiso leaf and drizzled with mustard vinaigrette) - steak Tataki over sliced red onions - served with grated radish, chives and a soy dressing - calamari with very flavorful herbed salt and parmigiana reggiano Also included a choice of one salad - we got the sauteed mushroom salad, with romaine heart greens. Two pasta dishes our choices which were the uni pasta and mentaiko pasta. Both were super richly creamy! We probably should have gotten one pasta that was not cream based. The main entree is Chef's choice : we got the porterhouse steak (upgraded to 12 ounce) medium rare , came with a side of creamy baked potatoes and a very flavorful cold pasta ( maybe Marsala sauce?). One risotto included , tonight it was seared scallop with mushroom risotto. The dinner was capped by one each dessert - croissant bread pudding topped by chocolate and surrounded by a delicious caramel sauce - walnut crème brûlée- very tasty without being overly sweet - Panna cotta with fresh berries and berry sauce drizzle There is no kids' menu but we got a chicken curry dish for our little one - we asked for extra mild , which she seemed to enjoy. All the food was excellent, although a tad rich with the cream based sauces! Attentive service from the staff. Food was delivered at good time intervals. Since we were sharing, we also had plate changes at least three times. I got a glass of plum wine - almost a dessert wine it was very sweet and enjoyable. Subdued lighting and piped music. Plenty of parking. Check out the omakase lunch specials and also Valentine day specials!
I had such a wonderful time enjoying fusion Japanese cuisine! Every dish was absolutely delicious and packed with amazing flavors. The staff were so friendly and welcoming, making me feel right at home. I truly loved every moment of my visit!
We had uni pasta and scallop risotto. They were both great