Koto Japanese Steakhouse — Restaurant in Fort Wayne

You only need 2 words to describe Koto:

CHEAP TORO BABY!!!!!!

Okay. That was technically 3 words, but whatever.

So Koto is another scruffy Fort Wayne staple: A place with all kinds of small faults and imperfections that still manages to perform what's needed amazingly. The sushi is sometimes served on-the-rocks, the clear soup has a chance of not having any tempura crunch (pro-tip: don't arrive past 8 pm), the fried rice is just-cooked, the non-fried ice cream might or might not exist, and there was a specific waitress on our last visit who didn't provide the best service.

(Seriously, the Fort Wayne food scene is basically a giant hole-in-the-wall.)

What you can always count on with Koto though, is THICC, cheap and relatively fresh sashimi, together with the surprising consistency of the "crack salad" that I've since named into the "Three Greats of Fort Wayne". They are, in order: The seafood salad at Koto The lamb shank at Halal Eats The "Vietnamese dumplings" at Kim Vu

Each of these restaurants is A-tier or 5 stars in their own right in my book, but these dishes are outright addictive culinary creations that I haven't seen replicated anywhere else. The seafood salad at Koto, in particular, is a fairly simple recipe of shrimp, octopus, masago, mayonnaise and julienned cucumber, yet their textures mix so well that I'm always looking for more and in fact, came back in town for more almost a full year later. In a world of "monkey brains", avocado bombs, raw fish tartares and funny concoctions of spicy tuna on top of crispy rice and lotus, you'd think this "crack salad" is a dime a dozen. And yet, I have not encountered another place that could pull off a similar salad to the same pedigree, in my entire food journey.

Aside from the "crack salad", another highlight of Koto is a proper, equally thick slice of chutoro (listed as "tuna belly" in the menu) for $4.50 at the time of writing. This is a very fatty, super premium slice that easily commands near-$10 anywhere else. It is also pretty much always available, to my biggest surprise. I don't know how they do it, but they did it.

The simple clear soup is also another Koto staple that's almost as addictive as their seafood salad (c'mon, you can get miso anywhere. At least give this one a try!). Just hope you're coming at a time when they'd made a new pot instead of emptying an old one, and you'll be treated to an eye-opening revelation of what chicken broth and tempura crunch can do for your mouth.

Another dish worth talking about Koto is the "Japanese Ice Cream", hereafter the "quantum ice cream" because its very existence depends on which server is observing the menu. In a timeline where this ice cream exists, it is the best dessert you can get at a sushi place for the cheapest price. I find this quantum ice cream to be even better than its fried counterpart, with a more pronounced matcha flavor (there are technically two options, but we haven't had any luck trying to order the azuki / red beans one), higher cooling capabilities, and better dining ergonomics with the same Hoosier-sized portion. Don't let this deter you from trying out other options though. I've got friends who preferred the tempura cheesecake as well.

The katsu dinners at Koto are also delicious. Just don't get the "fish" one which is just deep-fried salmon and tasted all kinds of bizarre.

The hibachi is cool too, but it's only mildly tasty and mildly entertaining. Chef Mark has a bit of a legendary status around Fort Wayne, but I haven't been served by the guy so I have no comments. Fort Wayne does have a surprisingly crowded hibachi scene relative to its size in my opinion, and Koto is a fair addition to the bunch.

TL;DR If you've never had toro...

Excellent food.. Every time. Consistent deliciousness No doubt about that. But...and it's a very BIG but, the manager/owner needs to refresh himself in restaurant culture. An appetizer comes, separate BEFORE your meal. While ordering take out however, one would anticipate that as something separate, not apart of entree. I've been ordering from here ALL of quarantine and only 2 times ever have they included the shrimp inside my actual entree. Unfortunately, because I am allergic, this makes my expensive meal a complete waste because you've added it to all my food. You should change the verbiage on your menu (and then contact waiter on the way for not even listing the shrimp appetizer), because it's very very misleading. I've called you about this. As often as I take out you cannot trouble yourself to remember a regular customer? That makes me feel awesome knowing my business helped keep you afloat during an economic crisis. I'm very disappointed in how you handled the situation and the rudeness of your teeney booper handling your ordering and order pick up. I'm familiar of where the owner came from and the business he use to run, but if you cant make minor changes as to not keep people from potentially dying from your lack of discretion, then I'll take my business else where. Suko Japan inside the mall may not offer everything you do, but they price is substantially lower, you get plenty of food, its absolutely delicious, and they model a perfect business where they are empathetic when errors are made. In your case you took liberties outside your menu wording and that is quite a hazard to people like me who have serious shellfish allergies. You took it up a notch by gaslighting ME and switching it up as MY fault. Own your mistake, make it right, and move on. Threatening me, however, is a poor move on your part and subsequently will cost you revenue as I will make sure everyone is aware of how you treat your customers. Shameful. Absolutely shameful. Not even an apology...

In life there is four certainties, life, death, taxes, and things not going according to plan. When the latter hits, you have one of two choices. You either take what you have and go home, or you improvise and hopefully find a diamond in the rough.

Not only is Koto my diamond in the rough, but I am also rightfully saying this is among the best establishments I ever been too.

I originally was going to go to Cork N Cleaver with my best friend the first time we found Koto. I was told without a reservation I had a three hour wait time. As much as I love steak, I would much rather get seated right away for hibachi than wait three hours for meat.

From the moment I entered Koto I was blown away. The Japanese décor with various samurai weaponry hung from the walls to the smell of the garlic and fresh meats leaving the kitchen, to the professionalism from not only the waiting staff but all the chefs involved. Truth be told, I was so impressed with the sushi makers behind the bar where I was seated that I decided to order some Sashimi. Now before this I have never tried Sashimi because I figured if it were prepared wrong then I would get sick and in this pandemic setting, getting sick is the last thing I want. I was stunned by not only the presentation of the Sashimi along with the rest of the sushi I tried, but the freshness of both.

I will be making Koto my go to spot for Sushi of all varieties and the only spot I will ever have Sashimi in my local area. This is an excellent establishment and I recommend it if sushi...