The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
Dining at Uchi Houston requires all five senses. Touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste are all awakened from the moment a guest walks in the door. The aroma of the restaurant, the sights and sounds of a lively atmosphere, and the feel and taste of fresh cuisine on one’s tongue are a tantalizing mixture of intense sensations. It is this fusion of the senses that allows the diner to experience a singular sensation – joy.
Uchi Houston is an award-winning Japanese hotspot that serves an extensive menu of sushi and fusion plates in an upscale setting. The establishment strays from traditional Japanese cuisine and instead strives for culinary innovation and diversity. The Houston location made its debut in 2012 on Westheimer Road in the former historic Felix space. The second Uchi location follows the success of owner Tyson Cole’s original restaurant, Uchi and Uchiko in Austin.
As head chef and owner, Cole trained for more than 10 years in Tokyo, New York and Austin to become one of the few sushi masters in North America. Starting in his early twenties, Cole climbed the culinary ladder of success from dishwasher to becoming a top sushi chef. Eventually, he landed a traditional apprenticeship. He flew to Japan to learn the skills firsthand. After a turn at one of New York’s busiest sushi restaurants, Bond Street, Cole opened Uchi Austin in 2003.
His non-traditional cooking style and unique flavor pairings landed him on Food and Wine Magazine’s list of “Best New Chefs in 2005.” In 2011, Cole received the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: Southwest.” Cole now operates five locations, including Austin, Houston, Dallas, Denver and Miami. He allocates his many duties and destinations to acting chefs worthy of the honor.
In Houston, Stephen Conklin reigns as head chef de cuisine. He joined the Hai Hospitality family in 2022. Conklin’s background includes time working for some of New York’s finest restaurants including Le Bernardin, Irving Mill and La Grenouille. He later served as Executive Chef of two Houston restaurants: Café Leonelli and La Table. Now, as head chef at Uchi Houston, his main goal is to provide a fun and exciting atmosphere in which to enjoy the perfect bite.
Sight and sound are the first sensations activated. When entering Uchi Houston, guests are immediately greeted by a team of friendly hosts, but it’s the sound of happy chatter and the sight of a swift, sharp blade singing in the hands of each adept sushi master that sets the tone of the restaurant. The softly glowing lights hanging overhead complement the red-rimmed walls and sturdy wooden tables. The servers winding in and out of the space add to the feeling of a bustling home full of conversation and camaraderie.
Guests have two options for reservations at Uchi Houston, sitting at a traditional table or dining at the open sushi bar. Although small, the entertainment provided by the executive and assistant chefs as they slice open a variety of colorful raw meat with unerring precision is an unmissable experience. With either other option, it’s suggested to start with a signature cocktail – try the spicy, cool mixture of the Kara Kyuri – before delving into a menu full of variety.
The next three sensations are sparked – taste, smell and touch. Uchi offers a combination of hot tastings, cool tastings, rolls and bite-sized agemono in addition to the traditional nigiri, sashimi and Toyosu market selections. Among the vast options, many items follow what Conklin calls “the perfect bite philosophy.” Dishes that combine a kick of heat, splash of acidity and touch of sweetness in one swallow. Notable “perfect bite” pieces include the Hama Chili, Madai Crudo and Sakura Pork Belly.
The best way to enjoy all that Uchi has to offer is often found during happy hour where guests can delight in dozens of small platters and dabble in pure culinary delight bite after bite. Coming in waves of one to six pieces, each dish displays bright colors, defining textures, indulging smells and life-changing flavor combinations. Those looking for a blend of texture can find it in the crunch of the crispy exterior and smooth inside of the delectable Tempura Bass, or the harmonizing crunch of kale and apples found among the silky salmon in the Yokai Berry.
Those wanting to try a hot tasting can find perfection in the smooth glide of the flavor-teeming Walu Walu – a Hawaiian Fish – as it trails warmly down the throat. It is a sensation sure to be remembered. As is the beauty of the aesthetically pleasing yellows, reds and greens of the more traditional sushi roll like the Toyosu Nigiri, Koromutsu and Bluefin. Lastly, Uchi’s dessert continues the pattern of mixing textures and tastes in the Jasmine Cream. The petite pudding is layered with a crunchy bottom and sweet cream center, topped with honey drizzled pineapple and a cilantro ice cream that may confuse the mind (cilantro in ice cream??) but completes the palate and the meal.
It is important to note that depending on the ingredients, sourcing varies. The Toyosu list is so named because it is brought in from the famous Wholesale Toyosu Fish Market in Japan. Chef Cole and his acting head chefs also work with Food in Season, a company in Portland, Oregon, that sources seasonal produce and products from the Pacific Northwest and around the world.
In addition to quality ingredients, Uchi Houston’s service is also unmatched. A multitude of servers are constantly giving touch-and-go service. Dishes appear and disappear faster than an eye can blink. Items are served one at a time giving guests the ability to enjoy each dish in an unhurried manner. The servers are friendly, warm and inviting matching the Uchi theme of providing top-notch service in a way that feels like home. After all, “Uchi” is Japanese for “home.”
Overall, Google gives Uchi Houston 4.7 stars out of five, but if we are measuring the restaurant’s success through what truly makes a good, quality restaurant – good food and good people – this non-traditional Japanese hotspot scores five stars across the board. The restaurant’s ability to elicit all five senses — touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste – makes it a true one-of-a-kind experience where fusion can be considered an understatement.
