Soseki empire expands with two new ventures coming soon
There are roughly 65 seats in chef Michael Collantes’ newest venue. And fans of creative temaki, sashimi and more are going to want to be in that number when Sushi Saint comes marching in next month.
“Soseki is fantastic,” says Collantes of the 10-seat Winter Park omakase that brought Orlando one of its first Michelin stars, “but we are limited in how many people we can share that with. I wanted the opportunity to showcase some of what we do at Soseki in a livelier atmosphere.”
Located at 400 Pittman St. in Orlando, in the former Brew Theory marketplace space, the modern lounge will be home to a 12-seat bar exclusively for hand rolls, Collantes’ preferred mode of consumption for luscious cuts of bluefin and other goodies. Roughly 50 additional seats will afford guests space to enjoy a separate menu of sushi and sashimi courtesy of chef de cuisine Lwin Siss, who most recently served the swanky crowd at Miami’s KOMODO Restaurant & Lounge. It’s far from the only posh venue on his resume.
“There’s Novikov and Blue Ribbon Sushi,” says Collantes, rattling off a few Siss-related creds. “He’s a heavy hitter who’s worked at all of Miami’s hottest spots. And we’ll be focusing on his amazing sushi platters.”
Plans for an intimate, fourseat omakase are in the works for the future. For the time being, guests can belly up to its counter for cocktails and bites.
The Sushi Saint experience, Collantes says, will be “loungey and fun,” An a la carte menu will allow guests to build their own experience, but if you want to go luxe, they got you with add-ons that will include caviar service and whimsical “high-low” items that Soseki regulars have come to enjoy.
“One of our favorite family meals at Soseki is Publix fried chicken with caviar,” he notes. “At Sushi Saint, we’re going to do that in our own way with local chicken karaage and an optional caviar tartare sauce.” It’s a $50 add-on, he notes, so guests can bank on a formidable serving.
“We’re Filipino,” he says. “So you can expect karaoke in the near future, too!”
In the slightly more distant future, Soseki will be getting a sister right next door.
Bar Kada, will be built out in a 1,000-square foot space adjacent to the Michelin-starred omakase. A sake lounge and restaurant in its own right, Collantes says the 30-seat space will serve as both a
FERNANDO DELGADO/86MEDIA
before-and-after lounge for Soseki patrons as it welcomes additional guests into the fold. Projected opening date: January 2024.
Soseki vet Michael Vang will be manning the kitchen as chef de cuisine.
“We’re building him a brand-new kitchen,” says Collantes. “It will be a savory-focused menu. He’ll be bringing what he’s been building at Soseki in the time that he’s been with us, and you’ll also see things reflective of his Vietnamese background.”
Soseki beverage director Benjamin Coutts will serve Bar Kada, as well. Collantes says his sake classes, growing in popularity at Soseki, will likely expand as they’ll have more space to play. Price-wise, patrons will still be looking at top-shelf ingredients, “but you can scale your experience,” he notes. “Guests are welcome to come in for one or two bites and a little sake or sit down for a bottle of Krug and a beautiful ribeye.”
The name Bar Kada has a double meaning, he notes.
“In Japanese, kada is an addition or annex, which this absolutely is, but in Tagalog, barkada means your homies, your close friends, the circle of people you truly care about. We wanted this space because we have amazing guests who we want to spend more time with.”
Soseki’s space and setup have their limitations. The new space will allow their goalposts to move.
“With Bar Kada, we can grow, and they can grow with us, and we can celebrate together.”
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