First look

Cult Cedar Park restaurant opens new sushi hot spot in South Austin

Soto's artful sushi can now be found in South Austin.

Photo courtesy of Soto/ Facebook

Ask anyone in Austin to name the best sushi in the city and they’ll confidently list off Uchi, Uchiko, Kyōten, Otoko, and Fukumoto. Those in the know will point to another spot — an unassuming Japanese restaurant crammed between a Party City and a now-shuttered Hancock Fabric near Lakeline Mall. That spot is Soto and, as of this week, South Austinites will no longer have to make the arduous trek up north to indulge.

Andy Chen, owner and executive chef, brings his magic to South Lamar, replacing Cantine in the Lamar Union development. He’s spent 20 years honing his craft, learning first in family restaurants in Kyoto during his teen years. Subsequently, he trained under the world-renowned Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto, and lent his talents to French and high-end sushi restaurants on the East Coast before opening his own business.

Soto’s original location in Cedar Park has a cult-like following and much of that can be attributed to Chen. He’s a permanent fixture behind the sushi bar, slicing fish, plating items, and greeting regular patrons by name with an ear-to-ear grin. For the first three years of Soto’s existence, Chen spent every day at the restaurant and met his fish shipment from Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market every other night. He managed the books, wrote the menu, crafted the food, built the business, and had two more kids. If hard work equals success, then he deserves every bit of it.

Though the new location arguably has a much higher profile, Chen brings the same earnest, honest approach to the new digs. High ceilings, an open bar area, and ambient lighting hint that the final product will be intimate enough for a date night but accessible for larger parties. Though presumably the decor will be fleshed out a bit as the restaurant matures, the monochromatic palette and minimalist leanings echo that of the original location. There is nothing to distract the diner — food is the star of the show here.

We sampled a 12-course omakase, each course reflecting the chef’s thoughtful approach to the perfect bite. Our evening opened with a crispy fried gyoza filled with silky foie gras. Every element was in harmony — nothing overtaking anything else. This was a consistent factor in the wild variety of courses that peppered our evening. Tuna tataki with freshly-shaved truffle, fried shallot and jalapeno; hotate (scallop) painted with yuzu, garnished with micro cilantro; and Ikura, grilled flaky black cod basted in sweet miso, a simple but stunning green tea crepe.

The menu will carry forward approximately half of the dishes served at the Cedar Park location and adds a 16-course omakase. The second Soto location aims to make their cocktails just as much of a draw. The bar program was designed by Bryan Masamitsu Parsons (formerly of Kemuri Tatsu-ya and Soto Cedar Park) and will offer craft cocktails and high-end Japanese spirits including whiskey and shochu along with sake, wine, and beer once their TABC license is finalized.

Perhaps what’s most remarkable about Soto is that it doesn’t have a giant PR machine behind it. There are no loud press releases or ad buys, no restaurant group to leverage. Their success comes as a result of years of experience, word of mouth, elbow grease, and dogged determination. Because of these humble roots, dining at Soto feels special, like you’re part of something bigger. Sure, the food is exquisite — beautifully presented and prepared — but what makes this place outstanding is the clear connection to someone’s dream made reality.

openings

Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

omakase sushi openings south austin