ATXReview
photo credit: Raphael Brion
Otoko
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If you’re going to blow well over $300 per person on dinner, Otoko is where to do it. The omakase-only experience combines an Austin rock ‘n roll barbecue smokeshow with a traditional kaiseki approach.
This is not a temple to sushi with hushed tones. The 12-seat tasting counter is technically located up a staircase in the courtyard at the South Congress Hotel, but the futuristic design makes it feel like you’re dining in a fancy spaceship that plays Bowie, Sun Ra, and Fugazi. Otoko is ready to rock.
photo credit: Raphael Brion
The omakase experience is a dizzying procession of small plates and nigiri that sometimes veers into the brilliant. Otoko’s menu brings together fish, smoke, umami, and vinegar—playing with Japanese, Texan, and Mexican ingredients. So you’ll see dishes like a shima aji sashimi topped with hoja santa and yuzu ponzu, or kabocha tempura dusted with a smoky sal de gusano. While this all might sound a little heavy-handed, these are subtle touches. The fish remains the star of the show.
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
At the tasting counter, you’ll have front-row seats to the chefs preparing the food, where they’ll happily explain the components of the dishes over the blaring music. But most of the time, they seem a little bored. Which is a little different than other top-tier sushi restaurants like Tsuke Edomae, where the chef interacts with diners quite a bit more. And while Tsuke Edomae is more minimalist (and significantly more affordable), Otoko wins out with a more overall celebratory package, like the exceptional cocktails from their adjoining bar Watertrade, and optional sake, wine, and tea pairings.
The elephant in the room is that a meal at Otoko will set you back well north of $300 a head (unless you do their weekly $150 abridged 12-course omakase, which is a pretty good deal). At these prices, you’d expect flawless service, but sometimes we have to ask for a water refill. All that said, there’s nothing quite like a meal at Otoko. The food is fun, creative, and unexpected—in a lot of ways, Otoko could only exist in Austin (or at least Texas). There are other restaurants in town that do similar food—Texas meets Japanese—like Loro, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, Lucky Robot, Uchi, or Uchiko. But Otoko is doing it on a much higher level.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Hassun
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Sushi
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Uni
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Mushimono
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Hamachi
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Tempura
Pairings