I feel like a douchebag for leaving this establishment 4 instead of 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. There is no doubt. Nonetheless, for the price, especially in a newly-Michelin-starred restaurant, there are some things that may be tweaked to make this a flawless experience. Whatever criticism or non-praise that follows, rest assured will remember the omakase experience at Soseki with fondness and a desire to return.
Creativity combines with a philosophy to showcase international ingredients, and highlighting seasonal, local flora/fauna, to make this such an exceptional experience. You'll learn where that purple rice or king mackerel came from. It is that artistic flair they apply so well to the dishes that is also my first point of criticism--the end product doesn't always match the hype. Case in point: the price we paid for the "Atlantis" menu they were serving. I compared our menu to previous offerings seen here. It all seemed effectively the same. Maybe $265 is their base price point now, and the Atlantis philosophy is their foundation, but I expected something slightly more unique when a "deep dive into a diverse and seasonal exploration of the glorious bounty of the sea" was promised.
*record skip*
My bad, actually my first criticism is the entryway. There's a small step up to front door, marked with hazard tape. Nevertheless, I almost (completely) busted my shit when my hunger and excitement overrode my basic observational skills. Beware!
Second point of criticism? Small bathroom up front. Small waiting area. Meaning if you come in with recently-ingested Taco Bell, for instance, your concerto may have an audience. Plan accordingly.
Once seated, looks lovely. Ten seats at a sushi bar. Simple, modern, crisp, clean décor. Chefs putting finishing touches on the meal. You feel this'll be special; it's dinner and a show in the best way. See the fish prepped. Tweezers for garnishes. Wasabi grated. Every move precise, intentional. Expert fly fishermen dropping dry flies over wary trout. Poetry in motion.
Flourishes add to the experience. I'll spare you those for now. Let's get to the food!
It was all very good. Won't go course by course, will mention standouts.
Two favorites were the tuna/caviar "dip" and puffed purple rice "chip," and chawanmushi with shrimp and corn. Both nuanced but bold, luscious, delectable, perhaps even sexy. One modern. One traditional. Both worthy to serve to any invading alien species demanding something divine lest they destroy Earth. I volunteer either of these as tribute.
Also great: Caesar salad turned soup, the essence of the salad shimmering brightly with every spoonful jammed into my gaping maw. This highlighted another gripe: the banter. I appreciated the explanation of every dish, the details provided by the chefs. Less enjoyable were the quips and jokes that accompanied removal of the plates. "Did you enjoy your soup-and-salad?" Giggled the first time. Less charming with each repetition. It's a ten seat restaurant and quiet enough to hear a mosquito fart, bro--change it up!
On the flip side, foundational drink pairing was a fantastic deal, a sensational broadening of the flavors of the evening, and a chance for the exceptional Joshua to explain why the wine from a Sicilian vineyard, that has dragonflies imported from the virgin forests of a preserve in Madagascar, whose wings reverberate at just the right frequency at just the right distance from the grapes at just the right time in early Autumn to bring out the best in the terroir of the Sikele, which, when paired with the chawanmushi, will make you long for this dish until you die. Or something. Seriously, he's awesome, as are the pairings. Do yourself a favor: splurge.
On the flip flip side, some sushi felt clunky. Most? Great! Hokkaido uni: perfect bite. Toro? Heck yeah. Hirame (flounder) transported me to my childhood when we'd have freshly-caught fluke for dinner almost every night during summer (kind of like that penultimate scene in Ratatouille when Anton Ego relives forgotten childhood memories, though with less angst, more warm, fuzzy feelings). But some fish were...gristly? Laced with connective tissue? I don't know. Gut reaction (more than once) was: is this right? Are these rough spots normal?1 or 2 nigiri had fairly loose rice, tough to keep together when picking up. Matching the density of rice to fish? Who knows.
Overall, though, I end with heaping praise. This was a sublime meal, and indeed dining experience. Everyone's giving them five stars, clearly they're doing something right. Michelin agrees. Still, I'd be remiss if I wasn't honest, both for Yelpers and staff (in case anyone reads this). It's a rambling review, yeah, but there's some insights there.
With all said and done, I loved it. If I'm ever back in Orlando and have a free night, you best believe I'll be back. Just have to remember to come with an empty lower GI tract, and to exercise caution on the way in. read more