A new Japanese restaurant just opened inside The Plaza Coral Gables

Coral Gables just landed a heavyweight new dining destination.

Mottai, a modern Japanese restaurant rooted in technique and tradition, has officially opened at The Plaza Coral Gables, marking the first U.S. concept from Brazil-based Attivo Group, the hospitality powerhouse behind 13 acclaimed restaurants across Brazil.

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In the kitchen, chef Brian Nasajon—whose resumé spans more than a decade in New York and South Florida—leads the culinary development alongside executive chef Moritz Esser and sushi chef Hiroshi Shintaku. The result is a menu that honors Japanese discipline while leaning into Miami’s preference for lighter, shareable, ingredient-driven dishes.

Cold small plates set the tone: hamachi with white soy ponzu and citrus oroshi; hirame brightened with spicy pomelo and lemongrass. Hot plates include Japanese eggplant with miso mustard, steamed clams with sake and chive oil and crispy chicken paired with pickled watermelon and chili sauce. Familiar formats are subtly reworked through texture and seasoning tweaks, but never stray too far from tradition.

Larger plates spotlight seafood and the grill. There’s a seafood-forward Sugi Katsu made with cobia and ponzu aioli, pork belly glazed in hatcho yakiniku and black garlic chicken with carrot purée and charred scallions. From the robata: American Wagyu rib-eye with shiso tempura and tare, prime filet mignon and U4 prawns with garlic ginger sauce. The interactive Kinoko Hot Pot, finished tableside with egg yolk and chili crunch over rice, adds a bit of theater to the mix.

At the sushi counter, Shintaku (whose experience includes Makoto and Hiyakawa) focuses on pristine fish and precision. Nigiri and sashimi range from toro and kinmedai to uni and ikura, with curated chef’s selections for the indecisive. Maki rolls range from classic tekka and kappa to dressed-up options like salmon tataki with chili-garlic mayo. A dedicated temaki list offers single hand rolls, including a luxe hotate caviar version.

The beverage program, led by Gui Jaroschy of Unfiltered Hospitality, riffs on classics with subtle Japanese inflections, mirroring the restaurant’s layered yet restrained approach.

Dessert continues the balance, with a mango chawanmushi reimagining a traditional savory custard and a molten chocolate fondant with black sesame cocoa nib tuile and Okinawa espresso ice cream.

Design-wise, Mottai draws from French Japonisme, blending marble tables and deep blue velvet seating with white crane wall art and soft uplighting that shifts the mood from airy lunch spot to moody dinner destination. The 150-seat space includes a main dining room, sushi counter and dedicated bar.

Mottai is located at The Plaza Coral Gables at 2881 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30am to 2:30pm, with dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30pm to 10pm, Friday from 5:30pm to 11 pm and Saturday from 6pm to 11pm.