I am Japanese, who grew up in Japan therefore I know a thing or two about authentic Japanese food. I've been to Koto twice, figuring that everyone deserves a second chance after a poor first experience. Rather than bore you with details of my poor first experience and subsequent second try, I will summarize the good and bad points of Koto. The hostess was very pleasant, we learned a great deal about the restaurant from her. She is a native of Hawaii who has relocated to the area with her husband who is in the service. High marks to her. The head chef in the kitchen and the head sushi chef are both Japanese, very positive. The menu is very authentic, with dishes that will appeal to all including those with Japanese food experience. The sushi and sashimi was of very high quality. The rest of the foods were hard to judge for quality since every hot dish we ordered arrived lukewarm or cold. I believe, and hope that this problem is due to the wait staff. We waited very long for our appetizers and entrees both times. At our first experience, entrees arrived before our appetizers! Language was definitely a barrier for one of the waiters. He is Chinese who has only been in the country for about a year, very poor english. He shouldn't be a waiter until his english improves. The atmosphere of the place is very loud. Hibachi tables are set up in the center of the dining room on a raised floor area with low partitions around the entire area, with dining tables situated around the area. The whole area is very loud and distracting due to the commotion at the hibachi tables. I'm sure its fine if you're dining at the hibachi tables, but if you want a serene and peaceful Japanese dining experience, you can't get it here. Overall good sushi and sashimi. Hope the service gets better. If you are looking for a quiter Japanese dining experience, I would recommend Maru in Clinton.
Pros: High quality sushi and sashimi
Cons: Poor service and loud atmosphere
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