A tremendously amount of fanfare surrounds this ramen restaurant. Could it really live up to the hype?
On a recent rainy evening, we decided to brave the crowds and try the craft ramen of HiroNori.
The drive to the restaurant was about 15 minutes from our home, and upon leaving, we entered our name on their website to reserve a table. We were already number 59 in the queue.
Once we got there, we were no better than #50, so we went to the nearby Center Hub for a few drinks while we waited for our table to be ready. Roughly two hours later, we finally got our chance to sit down. The space was rather small, with about six low-top tables, a small 6 seat bar, and a high-top cafeteria-style table that seemed to seat 12-14.
The servers quickly took our order, each of us getting the vegan ramen combo, which came with a salad and rice topped with tuna or salmon. While we were waiting for our food, we enjoyed the fruit-infused water and Iooking over the menu. The tonkotsu broth is boiled for 24 hours for richness and taste. The noodles are fresh cut every morning and the soy sauce is barrel aged for two years. It is advised that the ramen is always served hot and the noodles should be eaten immediately to enjoy the fresh cut texture.
Before we finished our salad/rice bowl, the large orders of ramen were delivered with a side a garlic. The presentation was beautiful and the flavor even better. The soft boiled egg is life-changing and I've never enjoyed broccoli so much.
While I was a skeptic going in, the fresh cut noodles really are a game-changer. Everything was perfect and the service was extremely attentive.
My favorite part was that they include a service charge with the bill, so there is no worrying about tips and the employees are well-cared for. I wish every restaurant would adopt this practice.
While I certainly did not enjoy the wait, the food was certainly worth the hype! We will try and time our visit differently next time so that we can quickly enjoy our meal.
Know Before You Go
Wait times are substantial - especially during peak times or rainy days. It is recommended that you go to their website (listed below) and add your name to the waitlist.
If you are on the waitlist, your entire party must be present to be seated.
The space is small and you may have to share a table with others that are not in your party.
There is a 15% service charge included in all checks.
Only a single restroom is available for all customers.
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Location
Found in the Trade Food Hall in Irvine. It's just off of the 405 Freeway and a few steps from the Orange County (John Wayne) Airport. Parking is usually widely available.
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