This makes four restaurants from Hai in the Dallas area: the nontraditional, high-end Uptown spot Uchi and its more casual sibling, Uchiba, just upstairs; Loro, which combines Texas smokehouse and Japanese fare; and Uchiko, a "fiery, smoky counterpoint” to Uchi, which already has one location in Austin.
Hai Hospitality was founded by James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole, renowned for his nontraditional interpretation of Japanese cuisine.
“When we first opened Uchiko in 2010 in Austin, it was an extension of what we were doing at Uchi,” Cole says. “It has evolved organically, spurred on by the creativity of our staff and their desire to experiment with new techniques and flavors."
The Menu
Look for beef from Japan, Australia and the U.S. along with fresh fish flown in daily. Uchiko will serve Japanese whiskies, sake, spirits, beer, wine and a rotation of seasonal cocktails.
Fans of Uchi will recognize core menu categories like Makimono (rolled things), Cool Tastings, Hot Tastings, Nigiri and Sashimi, Caviar, Tempura, Vegetables, Toyosu market selections and desserts. There will also be some Uchi classics on the menu. Under the Bluefin tuna section, diners can order cuts from every section of the fish, from the leaner akami to the fatty belly.
Unique to Uchiko is a From the Hearth section with, according to a press release, "various smoking and curing techniques for both hot and cold preparations applied to beef, fish and vegetables for a smoky char finish." Cuts of beef cuts are listed by country of origin, such as Japanese A5 New York Strip, Australian Denver steak and a ribeye from Westholme, Australia. The From the Hearth section also includes seafood.
A For the Table option is unique to the Plano location and offers a large serving of a protein with sides for the table to share ($120 whole Branzino, $90 dry-aged cowboy ribeye or $120 bone-in short rib).
The Chef
Chef Steffen Perico is at the helm of Uchiko as chef de cuisine. Perico, a Dallas native and graduate of the culinary program at Dallas Community College, grew up cooking next to his Columbian mother. He later worked at the Omni Hotel and in Austin at Swift's Attic, La Condesa and Buenos Aires. Perico took a sabbatical to travel through Europe, returning to Dallas in 2016 and working his way up from a line cook at Uchi.Uchiko at Legacy West, 7801 Windrose Ave. Sunday – Thursday, 4–10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 4–11 p.m.
