One of the standard bearers of refined dining in Austin and throughout Texas has its eyes set beyond the Lone Star State. After opening locations in Dallas and Houston, Austin-based Hai Hospitality is set to open Uchi Denver on October 4. The restaurant will be located on the corner of 25th and Lawrence in S*Park (Sustainability Park), the new sustainability-focused development in Denver’s S*Park (Sustainability Park) neighborhood.
The Uchi Denver opening follows on the heels of the spring opening of Hai Hospitality’s Asian smokehouse Loro, both of which occurred under the leadership of Hai’s CEO Tony Montero, a former regional vice president for Cheesecake Factory who joined the Hai team from Craftworks Restaurants and Breweries, Inc. in the spring of 2017.
The maguro sashimi dish at Uchi Austin. (Contributed by rica Wilkins)
Diners can expect the a style of menu and service familiar to Uchi and Uchiko guests from a team created by James Beard Award-winner Tyson Cole, including chef de cuisine Brandon Brumback and executive pastry chef Ariana Quant.
Uchi Denver will offer four dishes unique to the new location: Sake Toro Aburi: (salmon belly, stone fruit, horseradish), Lamb Shoulder (buttered rice, black truffle, smoked kombu), Wagyu (ribeye, cilantro, turnip, applewood) and Beets (heirloom beets, black sesame, grapefruit, malted barley). Otherwise, the menu, featuring hot and cool tastings, yasaimono, agemono, makimono, and sushi and sashimi, will look familiar to Austin patrons, with dishes like machi cure (a smoked yellowtail served with yucca crisps and marcona almonds), maguro goat cheese (tuna with apple and grated goat cheese) and fried milk (a dessert featuring chocolate ganache, blondie crumble and cocoa tuile).
Unlike the Austin locations, Denver Uchi will feature a greenhouse above the restaurant to source seasonal produce, a collaboration with Altius Farms.
Uchi Denver is now accepting reservations online.