Austin: Uchi (July 2013)

My spouse and I dined at Uchi for dinner in early July 2013. We made our reservation on their website exactly 30 days prior to our visit, and we had no trouble getting our desired date and time. Only a certain number of tables can be reserved ahead of time, and the rest of the tables are reserved for walk-ins only. We took a cab to and from Uchi from downtown Austin, which took approximately 15 minutes and cost about $15 each way. (The restaurant called a cab to take us back to our hotel.) The restaurant offers valet and self-parking, though, and the lot seemed adequate. It seems that diners do not mind waiting awhile for their tables.

The restaurant has a bar area where patrons can wait, in addition to outdoor seating. We saw the restaurant serve the outdoor customer some sliced watermelon on the sultry summer night that we were there, so they definitely value their patronage. Besides the one end of the L-shaped bar where diners can drink while they wait for their tables, there is sushi-bar style seating on the other end of the bar. (We had not investigated this seating option when we made our reservation, and it was full when we arrived; otherwise, we would have enjoyed sitting at the sushi bar and watching the talented chefs.) Booth and table seating lines the perimeter of the restaurant, with some high-top table seating in the center. The wooden tables feature a little cubby hole underneath where the menus can be stored, which is a wise (and unique!) idea at a restaurant where diners may continue to order as they go along, rather than ordering all items at one time.

The a la carte menu is extensive and well-organized; however, we decided to partake of their longer, more extensive tasting menu so that we could try a selection of all of their menu items. The 10-course chef’s tasting menu runs $93, and the restaurant also offers a small 6-course signature tasting for a lesser price. We ordered the 10-course tasting menu, some of the courses for which we each received our own plate, and some courses for which we shared a plate. (We have never done a tasting where we did not each receive our own plate, so we felt that this was a unique way to present some of the dishes that were more main course items.) The wait staff worked fantastically together.

We enjoyed an excellent meal at Uchi!