(From June 2012)

This pleasant, dimly lit watering hole serves fresh-from-the-Gulf fish, crisp tempura, and other Japanese classics. Vegetable soup in a light miso broth made a flavorful palate cleanser, and a generous bowl of green tea ice cream balanced the bite of the wasabi in our order of sushi. Bar.

Leave a Review

(From June 2011)

We decided, across the board, to try new dishes, and what an adventure it was! Shishito peppers, quite pleasant except for the fiery orange ones, and popcorn crab, to-tally edible soft-shell babies, made for two mind-expanding appetizers. Japanese snapper carpaccio sprinkled with tomatoes and Asian greens was piquant, while marinated tuna with avocado and cashews pleased with its crunch and layers of flavor. The only item that disappointed was the washu beef and potato croquette; the small bits of beef were mixed into a mushy mix of potato, and the panko crust had an oddly sweet taste. Walking through the Japanese garden to the front door is a lovely touch for this wildly popular East Dallas eatery. Bar.

Leave a Review

(From March 2012)

We let our server do the talking on a recent cozy evening inside this tiny red-walled cottage. And as we sipped on a lovely albariño, taking in the animated tables around us, artfully arranged plates of delicious sushi and sashimi appeared: striped snapper; baby yellowtail with ponzu and Thai chile; oak-grilled escolar with candied citrus, yuzupon, and myoga (amazing); bigeye tuna with pumpkin seed oil and Fuji apple, and silky Japanese sea bream with the perfect pop of sea salt and mint. Chef Tyson Cole’s vision impressed once again. Next visit we’ll resume our spots at the bar; we missed watching the sushi chefs and learning about flavor pairings and combinations. Bar.

Friday, September 19th, 2008, 1:50 pm
sushi lover says:
This is the best restaurant in Austin, period. AMAZING food! And where else do you see guys in cowboys hats eating sushi.

Leave a Review

(From June 2012)

Houston now understands why Austin is gaga over Uchi and Uchiko, the capital city’s lauded contemporary Japanese restaurants. Diners here are experiencing firsthand dishes like hama chile, a pristine appetizer of yellowtail, fresh orange, ponzu, and Thai chile. Comfort food seekers find sustenance in congee (a sushi-rice porridge mixed with truffle oil and a velvety tamago, or egg custard). For dessert, fragrant homemade elderflower liqueur is blended into both a meringue and a cool granita and served alongside buttermilk sabayon and cantaloupe sorbet. Executive chef Kaz Edwards is keeping pace with his mentors, prize-winning Austin chefs Tyson Cole, Paul Qui (just anointed best chef in the Southwest by the James Beard Foundation), and Philip Speer. The striking interior combines Uchi’s cherry-red wallpaper and Uchiko’s contemporary wood and copper—definitely the best of both worlds. Beer, wine & sake.

Leave a Review

(From May 2012)

A meal at Uchiko raises lots of hard questions. You wonder which of the intriguing dishes to order. You ask yourself how the kitchen can maintain such high standards night after night, keeping diners on their toes with an ever-shifting combination of esoteric ingredients. It occurs to you to ponder how you’re gonna pay for it all. But so exquisite are the myriad tastes and textures that ultimately you have no choice but to surrender to the culinary carnival, one that includes the likes of Shigoku oysters iced with a blood orange sorbet and adorned with a tiny marigold leaf; luscious Kurobuta pork belly sprinkled with black-lime powder and swiped with an espresso-laced caramelized fish sauce; thinly sliced buri (Japanese amberjack) with pickled Hakurei turnips and miso crème fraîche. Even the bar snacks, like shishito peppers lightly blistered on the grill and sprinkled with flaky sea salt, are ridiculously good. Is it any wonder executive chef Paul Qui just won Top Chef: Texas? Beer, wine, & sake.

Leave a Review

(From November 2011)

We cheered when this sushi and hibachi favorite opened for lunch. Half of our crowd went for the generous bento boxes, while the other half ordered delectably fresh sushi and sashimi combos. The wasabi is not for the fainthearted. Beer, wine, & sake.

Leave a Review