Ladle the soup into 8 bowls and top each with 6 scallop slices.

Sear the scallop slices on both sides quickly over high heat.

Sear the scallop slices quickly over high heat.

The fatty yellowtail belly (like toro, but from yellowtail rather than tuna), live scallop slices interleaved with thin-sliced lemon, and some particularly sweet California uni (sea urchin roe) on the menu the last time I was there were flawlessly fresh.

Arrange scallop slices around each shell, starting from the center.