$30 8-Course Christmas Eve Dinner @ Cafe Hiro - Cypress

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the county,
All the restaurants were offering a Christmas eve bounty.
But an arm and a leg, most of them would charge,
For prix-fixe menus, which wasn't that large.

At Marche Moderne, I spied a fine five-course dinner,
With a cost that'd make my wallet seventy-five bucks thinner.
Furthermore these prices were violating my rule;
Who'd want to pay money not to get full?

So off to Cypress, to Cafe Hiro we went,
Where I've always gotten the worth out of every penny and cent.
Here they offered an eight-course meal, a right merry feast,
Which combined the flavors of the West with that of the East.

And how much did they charge for the meal of a king?
Thirty dollars a head! A pauper's price; an affordable thing!
Choosing this package deal was almost a no-brainer.
Plus this way, I'd get dessert included with dinner!

So we ordered it and out courses came.
First was seared cubes of tuna on greens, called "poki" by name.
Then came mushrooms, sauteed and served with daikon.
A few mouthfuls of crunch and soon both were gone.

Next mozzarella, dribbled with miso sauce.
Along with cucumber, radish, and tomato shined to a gloss.
After that, it was beef tataki sliced thinly and pink.
Each bite was too chewy; it was undercooked, I think.

Uni spaghetti was the pasta to share.
Its egg-yolky presence seen here and there.
Later, it was some split-pea soup, colored jade green.
I had to be reminded not to lick my plate clean.

We each got our own entrees, that was always the plan.
I chose the roast beef, sliced as a thick as my hand,
And she took the scallops, all nicely sauteed.
Near them, roasted tomatoes and steamed asparagus were laid.

Dessert came last, but it was the thing we loved most.
Croissant bread pudding in a caramel sauce moat.
When all was done, we were full, ready to leave,
But not before we made reservations for this New Year's Eve.
Cafe Hiro
(714) 527-6090
10509 Valley View St
Cypress, CA 90630

THIS WEEK ON OC WEEKLY:
Mariscos Puerto Esperanza - Orange