Uni and Me

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Behind the white unmarked façade on Sixth Avenue is one of the best Japanese restaurants in NYC. Chef Sotohiro Kosugi is the Food & Wine's 1997 Best New Chef. It's hard to believe his previous restaurant was at a strip mall in Atlanta. I mean, when was the last time any restaurateur based out of your local shopping center makes it in the Big Apple? And by making it I mean, a full house on a Thursday evening in April, almost one year after it’s opening in May 2007.

Had a delicious meal at Soto the other night. Prices were reasonable, would've ordered omakase if it was available. Uni (sea urchin) is one of my guilty pleasures; however, it's an acquired taste. I'd happily return to Soto again just so that I can have the divine steamed lobster with uni mousse wrapped in lotus root.

We were a party of 2, arrived a little before 6pm for an early dinner. The day's menu was in the process of being printed. The waitress recommended that we order 2 dishes from each side of the menu ("from sushi bar" and "from kitchen") to share as well as some sushi from the back ("sushi nigiri").

We ordered most of our dishes from his creative specials. The steamed lobster with uni mousse and uni ika sugomori zukuri were outstanding - I am going back again for them. The uni was creamy and fresh, perfectly balanced by lobster and thinly sliced squid from the two dishes. I wasn't impressed with the geoduck clam salad (seemed plain) or the chyu toro tar tare (the sesame ponzu sauce overwhelmed the tuna) as much. The sushi nigiri were good as well. Chef Soto personally delivered our sushi to the table and was very friendly. I even got to snap two photos with him :)

Service was very attentive, we had 2 bottles of sake. The experience reminded me of wd~50 when we had to pour the broth out of the dobin pot for the dobin mushi soup (as if we were having tea) and then open the lid to reveal the shrimp and black fish. Another hands-on experience was the the mixing of the uni ika sugomori zukuri, destroying the quail egg and combining everything together.

I don't claim to be a foodie or know about the intricacies that go into preparing a plate; however I can say that did enjoy the exquisite and well-executed meal.

Soto
357 Sixth Ave.
New York, NY 10014
nr. Washington Pl.
212-414-3088