Carolyn S.
Yelp
I love sushi, but it's one of those foods that I have to be in the mood for. Sushi and sushi places are not something I'm as familiar with as Italian, so my taste in sushi places is very selective. Don't get me wrong, Tampa has sushi places aplenty; it's GOOD sushi places that I can't exactly say the same thing about. Pick wrong and the sushi can range from tasteless, bland, and kinda old, to tasting predominantly of ginger and vinegar. No thanks.
I've been to SOHO sushi before, and I was in one of those moods where I really wanted sushi. Parking looks complicated, and getting there can be messy, but never fear they have FREE valet parking, which is very convenient when you don't want to fret over finding a parking spot. I think they have some kind of bargain with the building next door for parking or whatever.
The place is always packed. I go in barely thirty minutes into when they open for dinner and the dining area is already full, but since I go solo anyway, I have no issue just sitting at the sake or the sushi bar.
Well, that's all great, but what about the sushi???
LOVE it. This sushi here tastes very fresh, and they have a lot of different varieties to choose from. For my first visit, I got their Volcano roll, which does look like a volcano, but it's a ring of crab and tempura shrimp sushi with crab salad on top. The ratio of mayo is perfect, and I definitely taste WAY more than vinegar and ginger. I was shocked at the speed in which they made my sushi. I really hate rice (as I think I've mentioned in previous reviews in the past) so I can really appreciate that the rice does not dominate the whole roll so I can enjoy the different flavors. Unfortunately, I was in a big rush, so I ran out after just one roll of sushi, but I was determined to go back.
My next visit, I had a little more time to spend, so I got two rolls and I arrived a little later than right at 5. Once again I was seated promptly at the sake bar and my order was taken. I took a little while for my sushi to arrive, as expected since I've ordered two rolls.
But the wait was worth. I got the Lobster Fresh roll: lobster salad wrapped with greens in a lettuce wrap and topped with shredded carrots. This roll was light, tasty, and really hit the spot. It would do perfectly on a non-cheat day.
I also got the Spider Roll, another favorite, which is soft shell crap, asparagus, roe, rice, all wrapped in seaweed paper. I don't get to enjoy soft shell crap as much as I would like, but this too tasted incredibly fresh, and it did fill me up since there was a little more.
I was in an out of the place in less than one hour, which was nice since I was on my way out somewhere, and I love how efficiently they run here. I didn't have to wait for my server to get my check, as when I asked for it, that person brought the card reader over to me, and I was out the door.
Now word to anyone who does not go alone, like myself, because they are so busy, you would want to call ahead for a reservation. Me, I am not picky, and would sit anywhere, but I even I push my luck a little because even the sake and sushi bars fill up. It's worth it though as it's some of the best sushi in town.