NoRa Asian Fresh — Restaurant in El Mirage

NoRa Asian Fresh: A Hidden Gem with Room for Growth

NoRa Asian Fresh in El Mirage, Arizona, has been a polarizing spot for diners, with reviews ranging from glowing five stars to dismal one-stars. Admittedly, I was skeptical before walking in, but I left with a clear picture of what this restaurant truly offers.

Let’s start with the environment: lackluster at best. This is not a place for frills or ambiance, so if you’re looking for a cozy, curated dining experience, you’ll be disappointed. The no-frills setup carries over to their service model. While the staff were polite and helpful, the layout of the cash register and point-of-sale system limits the quality of interaction they can offer. It’s clear the focus here isn’t on service or atmosphere but rather on the food itself.

Speaking of food, that’s where NoRa Asian Fresh shines. The chicken egg rolls were decent—not a standout, but satisfying enough. However, the Spicy Beef Tonkatsu stole the show. This dish was a pleasant surprise, with tender chunks of beef throughout a flavorful broth that packed the perfect amount of spice. The rich, satisfying flavors of the beef tonkatsu alone justify giving this place a chance.

In summary, NoRa Asian Fresh isn’t trying to be a fine-dining establishment—it’s a spot where the food speaks for itself. While the atmosphere and service could use improvement, the culinary experience, particularly the Spicy Beef Tonkatsu, is worth the visit. If you can look past the barebones setting and focus on what’s in your bowl, you’ll likely leave satisfied.

Rating: 4/5 – Great food, but the environment and service could elevate the...

I was excited when I saw this place was opening close to home. The kotatsu ramen I ordered was presented nicely, and the broth was rich and flavorful. The ramen noodles themselves didn't really taste like hand made noodles but it was still a very delicious bowl for the price. Despite the delicious meal there is small drawbacks.

Menu - The menu is incredibly small, I was hoping to come for a bowl of Udon, but out of my choices I opted for Tokatsu.

Size/Location - It's a very new and small location. 5 tables total and 4 chairs per table. Despite it's size the room is very empty and plain. Sound will travel, and it'll be very noisy during busy lunch hours.

Condiments - You get Soy Sauce and Napkins are your table, if you'd like salt and pepper you may have to request it.

The pros to this is that it's tasty Asian cuisine close to Surprise/El Mirage. I no longer need to travel extensively for food I love to eat. Very well priced food for the quality they provide. I'd recommend this place happily!

(Just be sure your order is correct and...

First time trying Nora and I’m extremely dissappointed, quite frankly scared ill wake up with food poisoning. Ordered the malaysian noodles and the shrimp was spoiled, to the point it permeated the dish with a foul smell. The shrimp texture was mushy and you could tell it was old. Ordered some ramen, it was ok. Ordered some springrolls, undercooked and mushy on the inside. The fried rice was greasy and bland. As for the staff, had 4 employees, one on the wok doing most of the work, another guy jumping back and forth between the register and making sushi. The other two employees weren’t doing much. For being being a franchise, sure didn’t seem like one. Employees were not in uniform, which may be ok, but their clothes did not present a clean appearance. What Caught my attention was one was wearing slippers (or sandals) and the other two their pants were below the waistline exposing their underwear. Having an open kitchen concept I would hope more attention would be paid to...