Last year, when chef Tomohiro Naito moved his beloved Japanese restaurant, Tomo, from Vinings to a swanky spot in Buckhead, it left a hole in the soul of the neighborhood dining scene.
Recently, though, Hoki Japanese Restaurant opened in Naito’s former space. And judging from online comments, so far, former regulars are happy to have a reliable destination for sushi, again.
The look: Little has changed in the way of decor from the Tomo days. The shopping center storefront consists of a cozy dining room with contemporary furnishings anchored by a compact L-shaped sushi bar in the back corner. But, somehow, the simple atmosphere exudes a kind of serene charm.
The scene: One recent afternoon, a table occupied by a pair of chopstick-waving designers was covered with blueprints surrounded by plates of sushi. At another table, several businessmen happily explored the jewellike treasures arranged among the compartments of their bento boxes.
The menu: The dinner menu begins with cold starters, such as sake carpaccio ($12), and hot starters, such as black cod miso ($14). Beyond, find signature dishes, such as uni "ravioli" ($15), live scallop ($13-$15) and Hoki lobster roll ($16). Entrees include multipiece sushi ($24) and sashimi ($29) dinners, New York strip teriyaki ($21), lobster tempura ($27) and grilled lamb chops ($28).
The drinks: Sake is the heart of the beverage menu, ranging from generic hot sake ($6) to ultra-premium Kubota Manjyu ($189), made with polished rice. There's also a small wine list by the glass or bottle and a couple of Japanese lagers.
The extras: The weekday lunch menu brings on appetizers, such as seaweed salad ($5), lunch special rolls ($9-$11) sushi and sashimi entrees served with miso soup ($12-$17), and assorted Japanese noodle dishes, including miso ramen ($9).
Dining Out
Hoki Japanese Restaurant, Vinings
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
Starters, $5-$15; signature dishes, $12-$16; rolls, $5-$16; entrees, $17-$32.
3300 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta. 770-690-0555, hokiatlanta.com.
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