Dining Guide

Soto

Taking over the space that used to be Cantine, chef Andy Okamoto has brought his dazzling interpretations of sushi from Cedar Park to Lamar Union. The decor is spare and subdued, with none of the gilded decorative flourish of the suburban site. The menu is precise and well edited as well, and the solicitous servers carefully course your meal. We started with the scallop sashimi in a honey vinaigrette, with an exact amount of yuzu zest to bring out the subtle creaminess. Kanpachi (amberjack) with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of Thai herbs combined East and West, which is a consistent theme. Two beautiful slivers of ivory salmon, pale and almost creamy on the outside, were touched with truffle salt, and we didn’t balk. It gets pretty hedonistic with a plate of uni-rich pasta topped with black truffles and a poached egg. Here, they save the gold flourish for the food: precious bites of wagyu beef dusted with gold flakes.