Uchiko

Reviews 4

A

A Private User

The scene: Bright, clean and modernistic style while still having that "homey" feel. I have to be honest, From the last time I was here the mood and food has changed a lot - in good ways and bad. - In 2010, it was still new and only a few months old. A group of 5 of us met up for dinner and ordered dishes to share. The dishes were small however since we were sharing it was unnoticed. Each dish gave a new idea to a food item and paired with things you wouldnt think of eating together. The group left extremely full and incredibly pleased with our dinner. - A few days ago, I had to get reservations and was still met up with a wait to get a seat. The place was PACKED, mostly due to Paul Quis recent and well deserved fame. The dishes were smaller and it seems the prices on everything got higher. While the food was amazing and I was happy with the experience, I left the place hungry. Good for: ham & eggs sushi roll - (or most of their inventive rolls) - This one was a new one for me, pork belly in a sushi roll? The egg yolk/custard and sauce paired extremely well. The sauce was extremely delicious and the roll had a slight spice to it. Must have: Their special/daily items - These chefs come up with whatever is best for the season and invent up a new twist or look at the dish. Dessert: The dessert is what I would come back daily for. Back in 2010, all the desserts they had I was allergic to (no caffeine/chocolate/coffee or tomatoes) yet the waiter was insistent that I should be able to have something for dessert too. Not only I got a off menu dessert (for free - I guess they felt bad) but it was the hit of the table. One of the desserts I couldnt have I was able to nibble off parts that I could eat. Tomato sorbetto with goat cheese puree and a cheddar biscuit. The cheddar biscuit was SUPER thin with a strong cheddar taste. The goat cheese was to die for, I could of eaten that on its own. Veggie review: While they have a small selection of sides and a roll or two, I would not come hungry. Dont forget to ask the server if they use fish sauce to cook their dishes, the brussels sprouts tasted like it had some cooked with it. Monies: In 2010, our group split the bill and for the boyfriend and myself we paid $80. Now, youd be extremely lucky to leave under $100 per person and less of a chance to leave full. While the food was amazing, Im not sure whether the price tag and wait is worth it. Maybe for those special/try new food moments. When they first opened up it was a great dinner experience, now with their fame its more of just a great experience. Dont get me wrong, I would recommend anybody to go there - just dont forget to pick up a sandwich beforehand.

ST

Stuart Hiserodt

The Borg is currently the waiting tables at Uchiko. The skillfully crafted dishes at Uchiko always taste and look as though they was pulled straight from an art magazine. Its no surprise that Tyson Cole, the James Beard Award winning chef, is a culinary giant and his demi-god status in Austin (and throughout the chef universe) is well deserved. Therefore, I will only briefly state that eating at Uchiko is comparable to your entire table dating your favorite model/actor. Its beautiful (and tasty), everything seems perfect, you get a sense of exclusivity and importance, and you keep wondering, "I am really cool enough to be here?" Well that sounds pretentious and intimating to me, but the well orchestrated collectively connected staff makes this unobtainable famous actress and turns her into the girl next door. I can only compare their in sync manner to The Borg from Star Trek. Every server apparently hooks into a computer system that allows them to know everyones order, provide detailed descriptions of each dish, and to continuously provide sake, beer and food at the right pace and order. I highly recommend allowing the staff to provide you with suggestions and lead your dinning experience. They are professionals and they know what they are doing, so let them lead this dance. The drawbacks (depending on the experience youre looking for): 1) Its popular and they provide service for walk-ins, so you might need to sit on the patio and have drinks prior to dinner. If youre in hurry, likely not your place. 2) It can be pricey but youre paying for the experience, not a utilitarian energy intake procedure. The Borg doesnt come cheap nor does the quality of food. However, if youre not looking to spend an arm and a leg (which we did ... I believe it was the most expensive dinner Ive had in my life) its possible to do it here, but dont go looking to score a cheap meal. But you can order a great light beer or split a bottle of sake, and if youre reasonable on your food selection, you and your wallet can enjoy an experience that is second to none.

JE

Jennifer N

There are a ton of places that are hyped up and not worth the hype at all, however this place is by far worth it. It is amazing, Ive been to Uchi as well, but I really love Uchiko, I went with a friend on a week day and this place got busy, I thought it was silly he wanted to go so early, but it was worth it to get a seat. The food is AMAZING, I dont even like Sushi, but the flavors, the presentation, the ingredients, the whole thing works so well. It is beyond this world delicious. There was not a thing I could find about it that I didnt like. They have a great Happy Hour/Sake Social Menu and its worth going to that so you can try everything. We ordered just about everything on that menu plus more on the regular menu. The bacon on the tasting menu, is literally the BEST thing Ive ever eaten, the combination is amazing, the flavors are there and the texture is there. The Ham & Eggs roll, is delightful, my second most favorite dish ever, the first being the bacon one. I love Hot Rock every where I go, but it was good here as well. Dessert was also very good, fried milk was spot on. I love this place, I cant even find the words to describe how amazing all the food is. Only downside, is I wish they would change out your mini plates more often, they did when I asked but it would be nice for them to notice, but it could have been that I ordered too much. **I returned a few times since my initial visit, Im sadden that some of the items on the Sake Social Menu can not be ordered for a "regular price/higher price" in the main dinning room. I was told that the Kitchen actually tossed the ingredients to make that dish out once the Sake Social Hour was over, I find that hard to believe, because the exact same ingredients are used in other dishes on the main menu. I really think that the Sake Social is the best thing they have to offer here, you can get those items plus the regular items. I would definitely recommend this place to out of towners, eaters, and sushi lovers.

DE

Deborah Collins

We went to Uchiko on Saturday night to celebrate our anniversary. Weve driven by it so many times, and have always talked about going, so it was great to check it out at long last. We got there at 6:00, and because happy hour ended at 6:30, we went ahead and ordered brussels sprouts and all the makimono (komaki, negihama, and tekka). The chatter about the brussels sprouts is true: *amazing*, and definitely the best $4 weve ever spent on anything. The rolls had an almost buttery texture that melted in your mouth. Weve never been to Japan, so its the best sushi weve ever had. Our server was patient and accommodating and we decided to do a kind of customized omakase with him. We also ordered the special boston fatty tuna from the tsukiji fish market selection, which was $46 for, like, eight tiny pieces, but...no regrets. We also had the hama chili and a couple other fish from the daily specials menu. The sakana mushi was kind of a disappointment because it was too sour and the fish had a bizarre consistency. The "hot rock" was more fun to eat than anything, and didnt have much wow in the flavor department. For dessert, it was the fried milk, and it really is spectacularly unique and delicious. We were a little bit suspicious of the jasmine cream that they also brought out, but the whole thing ended up being a refreshing way to end the night. For sake, we got a bottle of the Yukikage, and it was a perfect accompaniment to all the food. Watch out though: a bottle of sake will really mess you up. Overall, our first experience at Uchiko did not disappoint. Was the bill astronomically high? Yes, but we felt that we had a completely unique experience, celebrity sightings included. Well definitely be back...but probably only for happy hour.