Sunday, June 28, 2009
Food, In this Issue..., Reviews

Standing strong

In a down economy with restaurants shuttering around us, Soho celebrates 12 years of dining success

By H.M. Cauley

Someone has yet to invent a “blood, sweat and tears” measure of restaurant longevity. But it’s certain, the way a dog’s life is much longer than actual human years, that hitting the 10-year mark is an achievement of more than just days and weeks. It’s also overcoming struggles and hurdles that aren’t easily defined by an anniversary.

So it’s saying something that Soho is marking its twelfth year in business. The restaurant on the upper tier of the Vinings Jubilee shopping center is surrounded by now-defunct businesses. Nearby is the empty space that was, most recently, Mambo Italiano. Even the Starbucks across the street is gone. But Soho has held its own with a loyal, local following that keeps coming back for the reliably consistent service and good food.

When it opened, Soho was the project of several owners. Today, it’s the exclusive property of Susan and Frank Smith, who have nurtured the venture since the beginning. They’ve kept people coming in by constantly refining their approach.

“When we first opened, the cuisine was more of a Southwestern and Asian blend,” says Frank Smith. “But as we progressed, it was very difficult to explain what that was. Fusion was a hard concept. People would say, ‘We love the food but we need a mixed green salad or a baked potato.’”

Enter Chef Joe Ahn, who grew up in his family’s Korean restaurant in the United States, and has combined some of the old fused favorites with traditional items people asked for. “Now there’s something for everybody, but it’s all done with a twist,” says Frank. 


Some of Soho’s earliest dishes do remain—the egg rolls, the calamari and the chocolate bread pudding aren’t going anywhere. “Yet at the same time, you have to keep up with the culinary landscape,” says Frank. “We’re seeing a lighter style, smaller portions and more health-consciousness.”


Diners who haven’t visited lately will find more seats in the sunroom off the bar as well as the porch off the dining area. The horseshoe-shaped bar is comfortable, with several seats along the windows. They’ll also find the friendly Ahn, who isn’t shy about sharing the secrets of his menu. (Just ask what’s in the chocolate bread pudding and he arrives with a printed recipe for you to take home and then offers tips on how to prepare it.) 


But before indulging in the yummy bread pudding, check out how Ahn mixes global influences into his menu. Start with the tempura calamari, mixed with a ginger and soy glaze and sweet peppers, or the Chinese pork dumplings. More Pacific Rim dishes include the salmon Thai in a rice-paper wrap; pork egg rolls with sweet chili and wasabi sauces; and ahi tuna with onions, seaweed and sesame soy sauce. For some Southern-inspired flavors, go for the buttermilk-fried quail, crab-and-brie quesadilla or fried green tomatoes with goat cheese. 


The pasta selection gets a kick with toppings such as Kobe beef Bolognese and spicy eggplant curry. Seafood dishes are a blend of flavors, from the portabella mushrooms, peppers and spinach in the salmon Napoleon to the crawfish beurre blanc beneath the blackened grouper. A flaky square of sea bass rests atop edamame ravioli in a light lemongrass sauce; the sesame-crusted tuna is paired with a soy and wasabi vinaigrette.


A tender chicken breast is roasted with herbs and Dijon mustard for a burst of flavor. A New York strip is paired with creamed spinach and leeks as well as a fig and balsamic steak sauce; the grilled hanger steak shares the plate with black beans and rice and an avocado tomato salsa. Two of the most basic dishes are the grilled pork chop with creamed sweet corn and an 8-ounce filet with asparagus and fried onions. Even then, Ahn’s mashed potatoes aren’t boring: They’re blended with goat cheese or horseradish so they’re not lost on the plate.

Along with perfecting a world of flavors, Soho prides itself on an extensive wine program. More than 100 bottles are poured by the glass. Each Wednesday is “Flight Night,” a wine tasting that showcases varieties from around the world.

Now you can have that chocolate bread pudding, a deceptively delicious blend of cream and chocolate that looks like a dense brownie but dissolves into flavorful light bites between your teeth. There are also ice cream-topped Belgian waffles with caramel and chocolate sauces; New York cheesecake; banana and macadamia nut beignets; fruit tarts; and cheesecake empanadas with a raspberry sauce. Make the choice easy: Go for the sampler platter that lets you try any four. SP