Clayton has a new spot for noodle lovers. Tora Asian House opened October 2 at 16 N. Central Ave, serving pan-Asian cuisine with an emphasis on house-made noodles, scratch-made entrées, and fresh bubble tea. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and can be reached at 314-448-0888.
The name comes from the Japanese word for “tiger,” along with the Chinese character for the Year of the Tiger in the traditional calendar. Chef-owner Calvin Hu draws on his Taiwanese heritage, 18 years of running a Chinese-American restaurant in West County, and recent training in Lanzhou hand-pulled noodle making. He’s teamed up with general manager and local restaurateur Biddy Sanivong, who previously ran The Bao and Blue Ocean Sushi and owns Thai Racha By Biddy.
The menu centers on six noodle bowls: beef short rib noodles, tonkotsu ramen, dan dan noodles, Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodle soup, biang biang noodles, and Hu’s hometown favorite, Taiwanese beef noodle soup, with rich beef broth, braised beef, vegetables, and Chinese sauerkraut. Hu says every broth is made in-house from fresh ingredients and simmered around the clock. Each bowl comes with a soft-boiled soy egg and green onions.
Rice bowl options include gyudon, Korean kalbi short ribs, unagi, and wagyu beef. Appetizers range from crab rangoon and coconut shrimp to Korean-style hot chicken wings and spicy pork and shrimp mala wontons. House teriyaki specials come in chicken, shrimp, or beef.
One dish stands out for Hu: orange chicken. “My orange chicken is really special and used to make up 90 percent of my sales at my previous restaurant,” he says. “If someone tried a sample, they’d order a side of orange chicken. It’s different because it’s really fresh, and I use a secret ingredient that makes it sweet and savory.”
Carryout classics like sesame chicken and General Tso’s chicken, beef, or shrimp round out the menu. For drinks, the restaurant serves bubble tea — Sanivong says it’s the only boba in the area — with tea brewed fresh daily, just like the noodles. Options include citrus tea refreshers and milk teas such as the Citrus Jasmine Breeze, plus toppings like tapioca boba, crystal boba, and passionfruit, strawberry, and mango popping boba. A full bar is planned down the road.
The 2,400-square-foot space, vacant for three years after Honeymoon Chocolates, has been fully built out with a long, narrow seating area next to an open kitchen. About 50 seats fill a dining room dressed in dark green, gold, and natural wood. “We tried to create an easygoing environment,” Sanivong says.
After an 18-year run with his wife and a two-year break from the industry, Hu says loyal customers kept asking for his food — which is why he came back. “This is why I decided not to retire,” he says. “I just want to make my customers happy and be able to share my knowledge and experience with others.”
Looking ahead, Hu plans seasonal specials, selling fresh noodles by the pound, and even classes for diners who want to learn the art of hand-pulled noodles themselves.
