Tuesday, February 5. 2008
Ototo- What’s a hundred bucks worth to you?
It’s slick. It’s expensive. It’s loud. It’s good!
First the menu. The nigiri sushi is ordered by the piece. That means that I could get the uni (sea urchin) and Erik could get the (saba) mackerel. My uni was the perfect balance of sweet, salty and musky. Erik’s saba was the freshest he’s had in Seattle. Since the sushi is ordered by the piece, I figured we’d get our own plates. We did not. Sigh.
The room is full of high contrasts: the noises, smells, temperatures and colors are perfect for those who can’t sit still and like to shout. It isn’t a place that I would take the hard of hearing. We were lucky enough to get a table by the kitchen and though I had to watch the kitchen staff scowl their way through the dinner rush, it was a sanctuary away from the door and the clamor of the dining room. The kitchen is markedly clean.
If you have a choice, sit at the sushi bar. That’s where the beauty of Ototo shines. The chefs were professional and engaging and everyone at the bar looked like they wanted to stay there. There was no turn around at the bar for the hour that we were there.
We ate:
Sake (salmon): firm flesh and not as fatty as Saito’s.
Maguro (tuna): Fresh and slightly tart.
Unagi: There are other places that do a better Unagi.
Saba (Mackerel): Erik loved it.
Uni: I loved it.
Kani (crab): Fine. In truth fresh crab shines on its own without rice and seaweed.
Oshinko Roll (Pickled Radish): Enjoyable.
Natto Roll (fermented soybean): Now here is where Erik went green and I started bouncing in my seat. The Natto was chopped up and viscous. This texture along with the smoky maple musk of the fermented soybean sent Erik into gag mode. It isn’t an easy thing to eat.
Miso: excellent and balanced.
Sake: two masu of the good stuff and then a house bottle.
Agedashi: well worth the 6 dollars.
In the end, the thing cost us a little more than what we spent at Blue C but with a much more satisfactory meal. Next stop: Chiso.
First the menu. The nigiri sushi is ordered by the piece. That means that I could get the uni (sea urchin) and Erik could get the (saba) mackerel. My uni was the perfect balance of sweet, salty and musky. Erik’s saba was the freshest he’s had in Seattle. Since the sushi is ordered by the piece, I figured we’d get our own plates. We did not. Sigh.
The room is full of high contrasts: the noises, smells, temperatures and colors are perfect for those who can’t sit still and like to shout. It isn’t a place that I would take the hard of hearing. We were lucky enough to get a table by the kitchen and though I had to watch the kitchen staff scowl their way through the dinner rush, it was a sanctuary away from the door and the clamor of the dining room. The kitchen is markedly clean.
If you have a choice, sit at the sushi bar. That’s where the beauty of Ototo shines. The chefs were professional and engaging and everyone at the bar looked like they wanted to stay there. There was no turn around at the bar for the hour that we were there.
We ate:
Sake (salmon): firm flesh and not as fatty as Saito’s.
Maguro (tuna): Fresh and slightly tart.
Unagi: There are other places that do a better Unagi.
Saba (Mackerel): Erik loved it.
Uni: I loved it.
Kani (crab): Fine. In truth fresh crab shines on its own without rice and seaweed.
Oshinko Roll (Pickled Radish): Enjoyable.
Natto Roll (fermented soybean): Now here is where Erik went green and I started bouncing in my seat. The Natto was chopped up and viscous. This texture along with the smoky maple musk of the fermented soybean sent Erik into gag mode. It isn’t an easy thing to eat.
Miso: excellent and balanced.
Sake: two masu of the good stuff and then a house bottle.
Agedashi: well worth the 6 dollars.
In the end, the thing cost us a little more than what we spent at Blue C but with a much more satisfactory meal. Next stop: Chiso.
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