We tried Oto Sushi tonight! They did a great job transforming the former MRKT space. Very cute, semi-open-air dining room with a sushi bar and a lovely atmosphere.
The concept is appealing — a 100% gluten-free kitchen with an emphasis on sustainable seafood, meat, and produce. They also have a nice beverage selection, although they were out of the rice-washed vodka martini I wanted to try, so I settled for a regular vodka martini!
Food-wise, I loved the goma-ae — spinach with a sesame-soy dressing. Similar to Zuma’s version, but a touch sweeter. The nigiri was pretty good. The robatayaki flight was just okay. The chicken was overcooked, and the wagyu definitely didn’t seem like wagyu.
The biggest miss was the service, which felt awkward from start to finish — from the hostess to the manager to our waiter. Everything felt oddly stodgy and uncomfortable rather than warm and welcoming. We waited over 30 minutes past our reservation time to be seated, and our attempt to order drinks while waiting never materialized.
That said, I’m giving them some grace as a new restaurant still finding its footing. It’s a nice space with an interesting concept and a menu that has plenty more I’d like to explore. I’d definitely go back to try other dishes and hopefully have a smoother experience next time.
Promising start, but some kinks to work out!
