Uchi Uchi Uchi
I took my mother out to eat at Uchi earlier this week. It’s been my favorite japanese restaurant since it opened a couple of years ago. Tyson Cole, the head chef, used to work at what was formerly my favorite japanese restaurant so I was happy to follow him to Uchi where I’ve never been disappointed by the food or the service. Mom and I started with a tall cold bamboo filled with delicious unfiltered sake (Takara Nigori $12). If you think you don’t like sake, don’t completely write it off until you’ve tried unfiltered sake. You can buy it by the bottle at Central Market too. We whetted our appetite with Brie Tempura Ringo Canapé ($9). These are tasty bites of fried brie topped with sweet apple chutney served with salty sweet potato chips for a nice contrast of flavors. Next we had Sashimi Salad ($12), mixed greens, fresh salmon, macadamia nuts, blueberries, sweet potato crisps and a delicious soy vinaigrette dressing. I want to know how to make both the dressing and the sweet potato crisps which are grated & lightly fried and seasoned. In addition to our salad, we had two types of sushi: Hamachi (baby yellowtail $3) and Binnaga (seared albacore $2.50). Both were incredibly fresh and tasty. And for desert, there was sinfully rich Chai Tea Crème Bruleé ($7).
You can find Uchi on the east side of Lamar Blvd., .2 miles south of Barton Springs Road. Get there early or be prepared to wait, sometimes for up to two hours on the weekends. It’s THAT good.
Uchi rocks. It’s second only to another local restaurant located on Lamar. I’m a big fan of the Hama Chili and the Uchi Shot, if you’re feeling adventurous. The Hot Rock is a lot of fun if you’re in a group. Check out the Endo Roll and the Mustang Roll. As far as the sake goes, I’m partial to the Aramasa Akita and I love that they serve the sake in chilled bamboo. It may just be mental, but I think it makes it taste better.
I just wish I could afford to go to the place more often.
I’d say it’s THAT overrated. There’s good sushi in other parts of town but Uchi is attracting more folks who pine for Dallas and Houston. Sure, great to be seen but head to DK Sushi or someplace less pretentious.
Unless, of course, that’s what you’re looking for.
Is it me or is Tyson Cole totally hot? Those pictures of him in Food&Wine are delicious. Too bad the distance between Austin and DC is big enough that I won’t get to see him in real life anytime soon. I wonder if he’s single… And if I had anything to say about it, he is and he likes men! I would coo if he ate raw tuna off my stomach. Oh what a sordid and perfect world that would be.
Sorry, just had to get that out of my, um, head ;)