Definitely one of the better and more upscale modern Asian restaurants in Pittsburgh (excluding Thai food- so many good options). This was my first time at Soba after spending many visits at Umi. I would argue that Umi is the better sibling with excellent sushi options (with a hefty price tag) but Soba is a bit more approachable to the person who is less familiar with or doesn't want sushi. In all, it's a good place for a date with a desire for reasonable and modern Asian fusion.
Ambience:
Trendy, dimly lit and very clean decor. It suits the cuisine and is well set for small groups or a date. Not too loud but certainly not dead either. I loved the bar area- has a mix of bar and casual couch/lovechair seating that's well suited for a date or small group. Based on the clientele and set up, I'd lean towards trendy attire if you come here- not a casual place by any means.
Food:
Thai corn chowder- so good and very rich. I would return just for that dish. For an entree, I had the seared rare tuna. They definitely didn't skimp on my portion of tuna and cooked it well. Granted tuna is a bit bland, I was hoping for more seasoning and oomph from the Korean barbecue sauce. The ginger fried rice made up for any disappointment I had with the tuna. For dessert, the chocolate pretzel stack was fantastic- perfect mix of chocolate, sweet caramel and the salty wonton chip.
Drinks:
The old fashioned was well-executed. Went back for a second. Can't speak for any of their other cocktails.