Sukoy Hibachi Express

This counter service stir fry and sushi place also has adequate inside seating. The stir fry is cooked to order, with fresh veggies and a tasty sauce. I particularly liked the scallops in my shrimp and scallop combination.

And how can you beat a lunch special with two sushi rolls of your choice, a ginger salad, and a drink for $8.99? The spicy tuna roll was actually spicy, and the salmon wash fresh.

Friendly service.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sukoy-hibachi-express-ocoee

Sorekara

Orlando has recently been blessed with many great omakase restaurants, but none of them are like Sorekara. It is unlike any restaurant I’ve been to around the world. It’s much more than simply a meal, it is a true experience.

With only ten guests per night (perhaps eventually 12) it is a highly personal experience where each party is handled separately. Your journey begins in a room that is literally a zen garden. Introductory remarks introduce the concept of “Sorekara” or “And then…” The goal is to create a peaceful, all-encompassing experience where you are fully in the moment. You are encouraged to put away your phone or camera, and just enjoy. 

You will travel through four spaces, spending most of your time at a spacious natural wood bar as you enjoy 25 or so courses ranging from a single bite to more substantial bowls and plates. The focus is on Japanese-sourced seafood, but it is nothing like sushi. Ten accompanying wine pairings accentuate an amazing array of flavors. Final dessert courses are served in the most serene dining room I’ve ever encountered.

Through every step, each server made it clear that this restaurant is their passion, and it’s easy to see why.

Sorekara is destined to become a destination restaurant, one that foodies from all around the world will come to Orlando to experience.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sorekara-orlando

Soseki Modern Omakase

Entry
Entry
Interior
Interior
Caviar on blue fin tuna, a standout course
Caviar on blue fin tuna, a standout course
One of seven nigiri offerings
One of seven nigiri offerings
beat and uzi sorbet, a wonderful palate cleanser
beat and uzi sorbet, a wonderful palate cleanser
Tile Fish on risotto
Tile Fish on risotto
shrimp of mashed potatoes
shrimp of mashed potatoes
Making nigiri
Making nigiri
Ceasar salad soup!
Ceasar salad soup!
Oyster, crab, salmon, buri
Oyster, crab, salmon, buri
The full staff at work
The full staff at work

***** (5 stars)

Ten-seat Michelin one-star omakase bar with top-notch service and a friendly atmosphere. The cold dishes are the highlight, with extremely high-quality nigiri.

The menu changes daily, depending on what locally sourced items are available. For example, on our visit dessert included a strawberry that had been foraged that morning and was simply sliced in half. Sounds simple, but it was sensational.

The standouts for me were the caviar course and the buri sashimi.

Two palate cleansers served during the meal were also noteworthy.

The fish from the nigiri is sourced from around the world, mainly from Japan, but most other ingredients were local.

We were not particularly excited by any of the hot dishes, but these change often. Chef said they had served over 400 different dishes in the less than two years they have been open!

I recommend the “Past, Present, and Future” wine pairing, the more expensive of the two offered, which was extremely well curated.

MENU

Saturday | January 28, 2023
Otoshi*
BRÜLEE (oyster] | TART [dungeness crab]
BANH KHOT [salmon] | SASHIMI [buri]
Et fu…?*
anchovy | parmesan | hydro-crunch lettuce crouton | pentas
  • 2004 Champagne Tarlant, ‘Cuvée Louis Tarlant’-(Euilly, Vallée de la Marne, France
Chips-n-Dip*
tuna caviar aonori | wasabi | crème fraîche | purple rice
Beets by K.*
beetroot | yuzu | yogurt | almond | sudachi | sorrel
  • 2020. Foradori, Nosiola, ‘Fontanasanta’-Mezzolombardo, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
Shima Aji* [Ehime]
Ishigakitai* [Nagasaki]
Hirame* [Korea]
Toro* [L’Ametlla de Mar, SP]
  • 2018 Akishika, Junmai Ginjo Namagenshu, ‘Black Moheji’ –
Osaka, Japan
Akami* [L’Amella de Mar, SP]
Uni* [Hokkaido]
Anago* [Nagasaki]
Dashi tile
  • Kikuhime, Yamahai Ginjo Genshu, ‘Origarami’ –
Ishikawa, Japan
Mosaic Tile*
file fish | carrot micro salad | tomato water middlins
Fung(uy)i*
chestnut mushroom | hopper shrimp | potato | truffle
-2021 Littorai, Pinot Noir, ‘Les Larmes’-Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California
Basque(ing) in the Sunshine* cheesecake strawberry streusel
  • 2014 Prà, Passito Bianco delle Fontane – Monteforte d’Alpone, Veneto, Italy

Soseki Modern Omakase
955 W Fairbanks Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789

https://www.yelp.com/biz/soseki-modern-omakase-winter-park-2

Zeta Bar & Sushi Lounge

Trio of bao with Peking duck, pickled veggies, spider roll
Trio of bao with Peking duck, pickled veggies, spider roll
Interior
Interior

**** (4 stars)

We went here as part of the Epicurioius progressive dinners, and really enjoyed the three offerings: pickled vegetables, spider roll, and steamed bar bun with Peking duck. The latter was the group's favorite.

The only problem is that the room is extremely austere, all hard steel and stone surfaces, so it's not necessarily the coziest Asian dining experience.

The service was wonderful.

Zeta Bar & Sushi Lounge
14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln
Orlando, FL 32821

https://www.yelp.com/biz/zeta-bar-and-sushi-lounge-orlando

Umi

Ceviche
Ceviche
Interior
Interior
70% Hamachi and Tuna by Tuna
70% Hamachi and Tuna by Tuna
Sashimi combo lunch
Sashimi combo lunch

***** (5 stars)

This is my favorite rendition of the sushi places that have been in this spot. The decor has been refreshed, and the menu is quite extensive. The ceviche was one of the best dishes I've had. It's an interesting fusion of Japanese ingredients and traditional ceviche preparation. Service is very attentive.

Umi
525 S Park Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789

https://www.yelp.com/biz/umi-winter-park-4

Boku Sushi & Grill

Menu
Menu
Menu
Menu
Interior
Interior
Jalapeño hamachi
Jalapeño hamachi
Menu
Menu
Menu
Menu
Sashimi lunch
Sashimi lunch

***** (5 stars)

Boku serves excellent quality sushi and sashimi in elegant surroundings. It's tucked into the corner of its complex, next to the parking garage and behind the Starbucks.

The decor is a welcoming mixture of interesting textures and colors, a combination of wood, tile, and stone. I like that each table along the windows has its own unique lighting treatment.

The extensive dinner menu is supplemented by a lunch menu and daily specials. I started with the Jalapeno Hamachi, which was the best version of this appetizer I've had.

For my lunch I had the sashimi lunch with all fish, as I don't care for the clam, squid, or octopus selections that are often included in such samplers. I loved all of the fish, and the presentation was beautiful, and included plenty of shiso leaves, which are like catnip to me.

Service was friendly and the food was delivered quickly, so a good choice for lunch indeed.

Boku Sushi & Grill
140 Independence Ln
Maitland, FL 32751

https://www.yelp.com/biz/boku-sushi-and-grill-maitland

Yamato Japanese Restaurant

Interior
Exterior

**** (4 stars)

This is a small restaurant in a strip mall. The sushi is well-prepared, and there were an interesting assortment of specials including kanpachi (amber jack), my favorite. We also tried the tempura, which was nice and light. Service was friendly.

Yamato Japanese Restaurant
1741 W Grand AveSte E
Grover Beach, CA
93433
(805) 481-3986
https://www.yelp.com/biz/yamato-japanese-restaurant-grover-beach

Tomodachi Restaurant

Exterior
Interior

**** (4 stars)

This is an excellent choice for a neighborhood sushi restaurant, as evidenced by its popularity. The quality and variety of the fish is excellent. Just be aware that portions are very large, so don’t over-order like we did. For example, an order of salmon sashimi included eight pieces! Service is on a tag team basis, and worked very well.

Tomodachi Restaurant
2779 Agoura Rd
Westlake Village, CA
91361
(805) 777-7578
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tomodachi-restaurant-westlake-village