Master Hu

Originally known as “Master Hu Kitchen” when its San Gabriel location opened in mid-2023, the Hunan restaurant Huyinan debuted roughly a year later in Irvine under the name “Master Hu.” While the small San Gabriel spot disappeared at the end of 2024, the Orange County location has carried on after replacing well-established Taiwanese snack and tea house i-Tea Cafe at the Irvine Village Center – a plaza now filled with Chinese shops and dining establishments including Four Sea, Long’s Kitchen, Noodology, and Zhangliang Malatang. Master Hu follows the models of neighbors Crispy Rougamo and Kingchops by maintaining a tidy, compact (30-40 seat) space and offering a focused menu.

A smartphone is necessary to browse the almost entirely entree-based menu, which is divided somewhat messily into five main sections: “must-order signature dishes,” “Hunan specialty snacks and main dishes,” “Hu’s side dishes for rice,” “Hu’s side dishes for rice (L),” and “signature rice bowls.” The latter section notably includes Master Hu’s only dishes that actually include rice; it’s otherwise sold separately for $2 per bowl. Dishes generally run from $16 to $26, averaging $20, with a few at $40 – including steamed live fish with Sichuan pepper – and a few below $15. Cans and bottles of tea, soft drinks, and beer run from $3 to $6 each. Service on our visit was pleasant, but limited to delivering water, phone-ordered dishes, and our check; the dining room’s lone server primarily spoke Chinese and used an iPhone for as-needed language translation.

Though we visited with a smaller than normal group, we sampled a handful of items to get a sense of the kitchen’s capabilities, and were pleased by everything we tried. First up was the hot braised firm tofu ($9) – one of only four items in the menu’s “Hunan specialty snacks and main dishes” section, next to a $12 stinky tofu version, $11 hot braised sausage, and $2 bowls of rice. Ordered with “default spicyness,” the dish included two large slices of tofu and a handful of seasoning/garnish veggies in a deep red chili oil broth that looked a lot spicier than it actually was, but had enough heat and flavor throughout to be fun to eat. While firm enough to hold its shape, the tofu was easily cut with an included plastic spoon.

Next were the “blazing beef bones” ($14), a set of two large beef ribs served searingly hot – more likely deep-fried than grilled – and liberally dusted with red chili powder, salt, and cilantro. More generously meaty than expected and typically fatty, the ribs arrived with disposable plastic gloves that were there to keep fingers clean but not protect them from the temperature of the bones, which remained practically untouchable for the better part of 10 minutes. Those who appreciate marrow and sinew will find both here, though stripping them from the bones will require a significant cooling period. We enjoyed the ribs, but wouldn’t advise ordering them alone.