Lagu Cafe — Restaurant in Irvine

I finally got a chance got try this little spot and I wasn't let down. They sell their onigiris in sets of two for $6 so I got two sets. One set was tuna mayo and the takana mentai. The other set was salmon and mentai mayo. The overall quality of the onigiris are just head and shoulders above the other onigiris I've tried. The rice was nicely seasoned and the filling was not little.

My favorites were the mentai mayo and the takana mentai. The salmon was better than other salmon onigiris I've had but it just wasn't special. The tuna mayo had more tuna than I've seen at other places but the taste is what you would expect from tuna and mayo. The mentai mayo was awesome and I like that it was mixed with the mayo giving it a creamy taste instead of just spicy roe. The takana mentai was also really good. The pickled mustard greens that is in it isn't over sour and pair perfectly with the spicy roe. I wasn't a fan of the pickled veggies that comes with the onigiris. There was too much ginger and not pickled enough.

I also got the french toast. It's made with japanese milk bread and is to die for. You don't need any syrup. The milk bread gives it that natural sweetness and the powdered sugar and french toast batter just pairs together nicely.

Hands down would...

I was in the area early in the morning and noticed a line outside the café. What caught my attention was that this café has a Japanese theme. What made it even better was that they serve organic coffee, which is hard to find these days, especially with the neighboring Starbucks taking most of the business.

When I arrived, it was bustling. I decided to make a special stop at Lugu Café and ordered a detox breakfast meal before my massage appointment next door. The bread was incredibly tender and had an Asian flavor to it—you know what I mean if you’re familiar with Asian bakeries like I am. The mocha latte was not overly sweet and was beautifully crafted with the perfect balance of flavors.

The cashier and barista were super friendly and kind. Most of the customers came and went without sitting down, as there are only two tables inside. Luckily, I managed to grab a seat and enjoy my breakfast there. The interior of the café also had a Japanese flair, which added to the authentic ambiance and truly reflected the culture the café represents.

I highly recommend Lugu Café to both locals and visitors. I’ll...

My brother and his girlfriend picked up two drinks and onigiri for us right before they picked us up from the John Wayne Airport. I was really excited to try this place, but it ended being disappointing.

Iced Jasmine Rose Tea ($4.50): Super basic - literally just jasmine tea with a hint of rose. Felt ripped off since I can make this at home. We originally wanted their melon cream latte but they were out (and this was early Friday AM).

Iced Strawberry Sakura Latte ($5.50) + Oat Milk ($1): This is a strawberry flavor infused latte with double shot of espresso, a hint of Sakura, and topped off with a salted vanilla milk foam. This sounded really cool but it honestly tasted like chocolate milk with light coffee. The strawberry flavor was subtle and I'm not even sure if I tasted the sakura.

Pepper Cha-Shu Onigiri ($7.50): This came with two onigiris. The pork belly was not umami or fatty, and the meat portion was small. The rice had salt & pepper which gave it a nice subtle flavor.

If you like bland or naturally flavored food, you can appreciate Lagu Cafe more than we did; it was...