Earlier this month, DiningOut had the opportunity to eat at one of South Beach’s newest Japanese restaurants—SOHO Bay {520 West Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.618.2788}

Hidden on a quiet bayfront perch just north of the MacArthur Causeway, this unassuming new restaurant has much to offer relative to its humble surroundings. The restaurant, which held its official grand opening party on April 2, is poised to be one of Miami’s go-to sushi spots, perfect for all occasions, whether it’s a romantic night out, a celebratory group dinner, or a laid-back happy hour spot for after-work drinks. In addition to its dining room and sushi bar (pictured above), SOHO Bay features an intimate covered patio looking out on the Miami skyline and Star Island as well as an outdoor lounge area out front.

Although new to the Miami scene, SOHO Bay is no stranger to the restaurant biz. In fact, the SOHO Bay brand has been in business for over 15 years in Brazil, boasting eight locations throughout the country. The Miami location (the first outside of Brazil) is helmed by Executive Chef Ricky Sauri, who brings more than 20 years of experience (including stints at Nobu, Touch, Bloom, and Khong River House) to the SOHO Bay team.

Upon being seating on the patio, which features wicker chairs and wooden tables, we were immediately greeted by our friendly server, who presented us with both a food menu and a tempting cocktail list featuring a number of exotic drinks that we were told will rotate with the seasons. The Japanese-inspired menu is designed to share—perfect for those of us who want to taste as many items on the menu as humanly possible.

Our appetizers came out just as the sun was setting, creating a gorgeous orange-pink display over the horizon. We dug in to the Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura and the delicious Chicken and Asparagus Skewers from the robata bar. The skewers were some of our favorites, though we wished there were more of them! (An order includes three skewers with just three pieces of chicken on each.)

Next came our sushi rolls: the succulent Spicy Tuna Roll, which was served with pickled cucumber and rolled with thin tamago and marinade ikura; and the Soho Ebiten Roll (a personal favorite), an interesting concoction of glazed shrimp tempura and goat cheese rolls with protruding slices of salmon. And for our main dish, we shared the Wagyu Picanha, a juicy beef dish that comes in thinly sliced pieces topped with wild mushroom chimichurri, roasted hearts of palm, and leeks.

Though sufficiently satisfied, we couldn’t resist trying the Key Lime Pie for dessert, which was actually served as more of a mousse next to a pile of crumbly graham cracker crust. While covering all the bases expected for your typical high-end sushi lounge, the exceptional atmosphere and amazing vistas combined with the excellent quality of the food, place this property ahead of the pack and at the top of Miami’s must-try list.

-Sherri Balefsky | Online Editor