Coral Gables just scored a splashy new import. Mottai, which bills itself as a modern Japanese kitchen, opened this week inside The Plaza Coral Gables, bringing a new sushi counter, robata grill and a 150-seat dining room to the development. The menu leans into technique and shareable plates, pairing tight, minimalist nigiri with larger grill-driven dishes and a tableside Kinoko Hot Pot for a little extra drama. It is the U.S. debut of a team that first built its reputation in Brazil, and early services are already straddling quick business lunches and more theatrical dinner outings. Diners will find a mix of sashimi, maki, temaki and bigger protein-focused plates that are designed to feel balanced rather than over-the-top.
The opening was first reported Thursday by Time Out, which describes Mottai as the first U.S. concept from Brazil-based Attivo Group and highlights the restaurant's "shareable luxury" approach. Time Out also places the restaurant at The Plaza Coral Gables and notes that the space includes a sushi counter, robata and bar.
Menu and chefs
Chef Brian Nasajon led culinary development at Mottai, working alongside executive chef Moritz Esser and sushi chef Hiroshi Shintaku, according to What Now Miami. The menu runs from bright cold plates such as hamachi with white soy ponzu and hirame with spicy pomelo to more substantial dishes like a cobia Sugi Katsu, pork belly glazed in hatcho yakiniku and a robata-grilled American Wagyu rib-eye. There is also a dedicated temaki list, plus the interactive Kinoko Hot Pot that is finished tableside, giving dinner service a bit of built-in theater.
Design, hours and practicals
The dining room leans on a French Japonisme vibe, with marble tables, deep-blue velvet seating and white crane wall art in a layout that includes a main dining room, sushi counter and bar, and seating for about 150 guests, per Community Newspapers. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday–Friday and offers dinner Tuesday–Saturday with staggered evening hours. For reservations and the latest updates, the team directs guests to the restaurant's website and its Instagram account.
Where it fits
Mottai's arrival continues a broader push to turn The Plaza into a full-on dining destination, joining other planned and recently opened restaurants at the development, a rollout that local coverage began tracking last year. The Burn Miami noted earlier announcements for new concepts at The Plaza, and Mottai brings an international group's take on Japanese cooking to the center of Coral Gables.
The restaurant is accepting reservations and, as Time Out points out, readers can follow @mottai.miami for menus and booking links. Guests can expect a polished, technique-forward meal that tries to blend Japanese discipline with Miami's appetite for shareable plates.
