HiroNori

. It sounds ridiculous, I know. But this was honestly one of most refreshing cocktails I’ve had in a long time. 3333 Bristol St., 3rd floor, Costa Mesa, 714-266-3388, knifepleat.com Tonkotsu ramen with pork chashu at HiroNori in Irvine (Photo by Brad A

. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) Tonkotsu ramen at HiroNori This is not a new discovery. But every time I check in on the original HiroNori in Irvine, I’m reminded anew that their velvety tonkotsu broth is unrivaled. So, too, the chashu pork served on

) and combined at the last minute at home. 1. HiroNori Opened by one of the original chefs from Silverlake Ramen (at the original in Los Angeles), this place has rocked the local ramen scene. The dining room is small, with seating for only about 35

and smoldered for a few minutes before coming out of the oven. 2222 Michelson Drive, Irvine, 949-536-5800, hironoricraftramen.com Tonkotsu ramen with extra chashu at HiroNori in Irvine (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) 2. Ramen

HiroNori    Ramen & Tsukemen TAO    Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai    Yoshiharu Ramen    i20 Ramen    Silverlake Ramen    Kashiwa Ramen    Hokkaido Ramen Santouka    Butaton    Ramain39   

, Shin-Sen-Gumi and HiroNori. Instead, it aims to be the Japanese-restaurant equivalent of a neighborhood diner that has something for everyone. Photo by Morgan Edwards This isn’t to say the ramen isn’t worthy of being compared to the rest. Although the

charred pork belly, a sheet of nori, a scattering of green onions and a wad of greens I suspect were bok choy. If you order Nishi’s vegetarian ramen expecting the depths of flavors that HiroNori manages to achieve with its revolutionary vegan bowl of

Ramen noodle soup comes in many forms. The ultimate ramen, for me, is made with a rich, decadent pork-bone broth loaded with so much collagen that the soup appears milky and viscous, like the ones at HiroNori, Kopan and Yoshiharu. The problem with

-in cowboy ribeye. 2961 Michelson Drive, Irvine, 949-252-8848, ruthschris.com The Tomahawk ribeye steak at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Irvine. (File photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) 33. HiroNori (2018 ranking: 60) Good luck getting

, hironoricraftramen.com In Orange County’s highly competitive ramen scene, no one makes a better tonkotsu ramen with chashu pork than HiroNori in Irvine. (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) 32. Anepalco on Chapman (2018 ranking: 43) Daniel Godinez is

. Because there’s ramen, and then there’s HiroNori. The pork-bone tonkotsu here is an ultra-fatty broth infused with so much pork knuckle collagen that the soup is almost white, like cream. And the chashu (slow-roasted pork belly) is incredible. 2222