1 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
Mee Goreng (fried noodles)
2 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
A whimsical line of rice bowls bounces along one wall. The chandeliers evoke sea urchins.
3 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
Sole fillets topped with scallions and ginger threads, shingled onto a bed of tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and napa cabbage in a broth flavored with Goji berries.
4 of 10
Ashley Giesking
Spicy Laksa Ramen - shrimp, egg noodles, roasted shrimp broth
5 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
The richly-flavored Beef Rendang
6 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
Achar - pickled seasonal vegetables with chopped peanuts for even more crunch.
7 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
Tofu Goreng - crispy tofu, bean sprouts, cucumber, and scallions topped with a sauce made from shallots, garlic, chili peppers, shrimp paste, soy sauce, and tamarind juice.
8 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
Chicken Satay with cucumbers for refreshing and peanut sauce for dipping
9 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
Pandan Crepe - a wonderful and unusual dessert made with coconut, brown sugar, and pandan-flavored crepes. A pastry found on the streets of Penang, we expect.
10 of 10
Kevin A. Roberts
The dining room at Hiro, shot back to front.
There are several restaurants in town where the humble exterior belies what lies inside...Paul Manno’s comes to mind, as does Hiro Asian Kitchen. Bernie Lee’s little gem at 1405 Washington is the restaurant equivalent of a geode, or maybe a gnarly oyster--one with a big, fat pearl inside.
Hiro is a mix of traditional and modern: the curious first encounter a scatter of old, wooden lamps—then a small wall of AstroTurf behind that, “to bring the outside, inside,” according to Lee. Orange- and olive-lacquered soup bowls are recessed along one wall. Trace the line and notice they undulate along that wall, in a slow cascade of waves.
A row of Beijing opera masks—whimsical to diabolical--lines the opposite wall. Booths and banquette are of knotty-cedar; rattan lights above resemble sea urchins, swaying ever so slowly, just like in the sea.
All of which would be missed by the judgmental drive-by. Tsk, tsk.
Lee’s initial culinary focus was to be pan-Asian comfort food—but with additions like sole with Goji berries, scallions, and ginger threads, the cuisine drifts more into “art as food” territory.
It was Lee’s different approaches to ramen that won Hiro plaudits from critic Joe Bonwich and an A-List accolade in this month’s issue of SLM.
Just this week several new menu items were added from Lee’s native Malaysia:
Beef Rendang, a traditional Malay dish normally served only on festive occasions, is now available everyday at Hiro. Similar to a curry, rendang has many layers of flavor, mellowed by the use of coconut milk.
Mee Goreng (fried noodles) is a staple throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Hiro’s version contains seasoned, fried yellow noodles plus a protein-- prawns, chicken, pork or beef.
Achar is a broad-based Indonesian term for pickled vegetables and/or fruits, a common condiment that adds a spice, salt, and sour note to whatever it accompanies.
Tofu Goreng is another dish seen throughout Indonesia, consisting of deep fried tofu in a spicy, seafood-based sauce.
Chicken Satay (kabobs) differs from other versions. Lee tells us that in Malaysia, it is customary to cook marinated and skewered chicken (specifically dark meat) over an open flame, as they do at Hiro, rather than press and cook the satay on a flat top grill.
The most unusual of the items may be the Pandan Crepe, coconut flakes cooked in brown sugar then stuffed into crepes flavored with pandan, whose leaves often flavor Indonesian rice, pastries, and numerous sweet drinks.
Hiro relocated to the Washington Avenue Loft District just over a year ago from its original location on Eastgate Ave. in the Delmar Loop.
If you’re gonna drive-by, you might want to drop in.
Hiro Asian Kitchen
1405 Washington
314-241-4476
Lunch and dinner daily; Sunday brunch
