Soto
“Get the Uni nigiri like I did…you'll be so happy you'll order another bottle of Sake.”
“Mmmmm..*drools some more*
Also got the Uni Ika Sugomori Zukuri and the Tuna Tar Tare, both of which were yummy.”
“I happy to report that being 1 of only 8 restaurants in NYC with 2 Michelin stars has not changed them!”
Soto
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$$ Price range Above $61
8 reviews
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Everyone has some sort of weak spots, for me, that weak spot was sea urchin – believe me or not, I have been trying to find the best uni place around the city, and I finally have a nice answer today.
Soto has slightly twisted their Omakase menu, so now there's only one availability. My friend and I both are crazy uni fans, so we informed our waitress about that. Thank god, I probably have dined the most number of uni courses within one single meal, with each one leaving me speechless. The uni cocktail was the single dish people discussed the most – thought the soy sauce just made the creamy texture of sea urchin more balanced, and indeed, it was like drinking the cocktail, that you always left with surprises.
Best part always came towards the last, and to me, it was the handmade sushi. Have dined at Sushi Zo, Ichimura and even Masa, I would have to confess that Soto definitely was among the top two, if not the single best. The freshness of fish was certainly one part; yet the perfect ratio between rice and fish was the key. Not a rice person myself, I had no problem at all indulging all of the pieces, while still left with craving feeling.
Needless to mention, the specialty at Soto was the spectacular uni pieces, so make sure it has appeared at least once on your plate. Their kitchen plates were equally delicate, and you would like some bites from there as well, before the sushi "fight".
I love Soto, well worth that two Michelin stars.
I found this place after searching on the Internet for some Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants. I walked in and instantly felt underwhelmed for what I – and almost every other person here – was expecting: when you find the place without any sign outside, you walk in to find a hallway-like space stretching to the back with minimalistic decor and few patrons.
Their uni is good and worth the try but like many other reviewers noted here, their portions are SMALL. I ordered 5 plates and had two glasses of sake and left feeling hungry enough to have a second dinner. Lessons learned: find the exact pin location on your Google Map of this place to not wander around the block, try the uni, and go with a semi-full stomach.
I agreed with the last two reviewers: there was no sign of the restaurant outside (thx Yelp!), restaurant was not busy at all for two stars michelin and the server speak ridiculously soft (i thought i was deaf). Our server tried hard to make us order alot of stuff. The nigiris are expensive and you must order 3 pieces minimum per kind (3 fluke sashimi at 5 a pop, $15 for 3 slices, yikes!)
What we ordered:
1. Chawanmushi (egg custard) – it was not tasty at all
2. White fish shioyaki – skip
3. Uni with seaweed and quail egg – best (uni is their specialty)
4. Chopped Fatty tuna – good
Maybe I didnt get the overall experience like the other great reviews. But nothing was memorable to me.
Chef Soto takes himself very seriously. Sushi is serious business. A passion, an art form, perfection is only obtained through practice and the small plates definitely showed his creativeness and use of quality ingredients.
TL:DR – skip the sushi and stick to the small plates he's known for.
If you have a 6:15PM reservation just be warned nothing is served until 6:30PM and Soto himself doesn't come out until 7:00PM. During that time the sous chefs are doing prep work, you get your sake, tea, drinks etc, and just take your time with deciding what you want to order – omakase, the chefs tasting menu, or just off their menu of small plates and sushi.
When you first arrive the maitre'd comes to check you in and take your coat. You're led to your seat and given a hot towel to wipe your hands, use it immediately or it will be removed right before you order anything.
We ordered off the menu instead of doing omakase and I didn't realize it ended up being a pretty long list.
(prices per dish/piece)
-Koshi no iso junmai ginjo muroka genshu Sake $30: light, fermented, okay
Small Plates
-Salmon Citrus $18: citrus was not overpowering, buttery salmon taste came through, Japanese pickled cucumbers on the side were refreshing, crispy ginger was cleansing
-Cyutoro tartare $26: toro on the bottom, avo cream on top with chives and seaweed on top, tasty, unique flavors each bite
-Uni Cocktail Cali $17: fresh, savory, delightful, soy reduction was a great touch
-Botanebi cocktail $18 – shrimp on the bottom, uni on top, mushroom flavored reduction, interesting, but wouldn't order again, pretty mushroomy
Sushi
-Toro nigiri $11 – big hit of wasabi, but masterfully cut
-Chu toro nigiri $4
-Sea trout nigiri $6
-Hotate/maine, scallop $5
-Hokki ga, surf clam $4: mediocre, didn't taste any different than other surf clam I've had
-Uni Hokkaido $9 – uni was shockingly cold compared to the uni in the uni cocktail and botanebi cocktail
-Eel avocado roll $15: still found a bone or two in the eel, decent
-Mochi $8: good
Sitting at the bar area felt like serious business. You could tell who was a regular and who wasn't. The service was great though. Water was always refilled, waitress was very attentive.
The bathroom was another story. I felt like I had been transported back to the undergrounds of pee smelling NYC subway. For such an establishment, it was a surprising the bathroom wasn't well kept.
Yummy uni and sushi/sashimi.
Food:
Uni with yuba – very good
Uni bafun cocktail (Russian uni) – delicious
Botan ebi with uni – good
Toro tartare – good
Uni wrapped with squid and quail egg – delicious
Fluke – good
Scallop with shiso roll – delicious
Seared sea bream – delicious
Grunt – good
Mochi ice cream – decent
I was surprised by how plain and empty the restaurant is. Even around 6PM, you can be the first party to arrive. Do 2 Michelin stars not translate into steady business? There is not even a sign outside the restaurant.
That being said, the food is very well made and delicious. The style is to serve dishes to share one at a time so the meal can end up taking a while. The servers keep a watchful eye on you so the next dish always comes immediately after you're done with the dish at your table. I can't remember everything I tried but what everyone who goes to Soto will remember is that there is an extensive list of uni in different ways..the uni cocktail is a must-try! I had to begrudgingly share it with 2 others the first time but got it all to myself the second time. Each bite is smooth and melts in your mouth..the uni cocktail at Soto was actually how my love for uni first sprouted. Other Japanese restaurants in NYC helped grow that fondness. The Scottish Salmon and Fluke Ponzu are also very fresh and tasty. They have options for sashimi/nigiri/sushi but since you order PER piece and there is a minimum per item, it can add up to be very expensive. One of the more exotic sashimi pieces I tried was giant clam, which was not what I expected at all (more like little clam). If you're in NYC, there are unlimited options for fish that are just as good and not as pricey.
Still not sure why Soto has not 1, but 2, Michelin stars..most upscale Japanese restaurants have exceptional service, spectacular presentation and amazing, clean food. I think I got the same server both times because she was so soft-spoken that it was very difficult to hear her. Soto is a must-try for uni lovers though!
Didn't realize I was dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant until after the meal. The service isn't great and thankfully, for them, I didn't know they had a Michelin star or else that would've been a bigger set up for disappointment.
Yes, yes, yes. Uni on everything would be my dream but unfortunately it falls short here. The portions are minuscule and for someone as small as I am, it still wasn't enough. This meal just wasn't worth the price that I paid. The atmosphere, the service, the portions, and the flavors are just not great.
This place blew me away. Not only was their food amazing, but the presentation was flawless. This place was a great find and great for business dinners or a date. The most memorable dish was the lobster sashimi which comes out looking even more beautiful than photos can portray. Their uni cocktail changed my life as well. I never really liked uni until trying Soto's. It is fresh and SWEET just as uni should be!
To my knowledge, we had great service and the staff were all very attentive. Good food + service make for a very nice dining experience! 🙂