HiroNori Craft Ramen

While Taste of Thai down University runs lunch-special curries and White Elephant chases Lao authenticity, HiroNori does one thing exceptionally well: craft ramen with chewy, fresh noodles and broths that vegetarians don't have to compromise on. The vegan broth here has genuine depth—not just miso paste and hope—and the housemade noodles come cooked to order, al dente if you ask.

The tonkotsu gets creamy without crossing into heavy, and the shoyu hits that umami note that cheaper ramen spots miss entirely. But the real story is how the kitchen handles vegan options without treating them as afterthoughts. The vegan gyoza hold their own, and the plant-based broths taste like actual effort went into them, not like someone just removed the pork and called it a day.

It's a small space—cozy verging on tight during the brunch-line hours when Hillcrest floods University Avenue—but turnover moves quickly. Service stays consistently sharp: water arrives fast, orders come out faster. The eel buns and spicy tuna sticky rice work as starters if you're sharing, though the ramen itself is why people keep coming back.

Practical notes: The fried chicken surprises—crispy, well-seasoned, better than it needs to be at a ramen spot. Some inconsistency with the steamed buns (occasionally soggy), and if you're chasing rich, porky tonkotsu intensity, you might find the broth a shade lighter than you want. But for a neighborhood that walks everywhere and eats often, HiroNori fills the quick-but-thoughtful niche without pretense. Come for lunch, sit at the bar if you're solo, order the thick noodles.