Sushi Extravaganza

The August Austin IWFS dinner was held at Uchiko, one of the highly acclaimed restaurants of Hai Hospitality.  In 2003, Chef Tyson Cole opened his first restaurant, Uchi, in a modest red house located in Austin, Texas. Uchi was a way for Chef Cole to re-interpret traditional Japanese food and bring the sushi bar into the entire restaurant. By 2005, he was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine and in 2011, Chef Cole was awarded the James Beard award for Best Chef, Southwest, one of the only sushi chefs to ever receive the distinction.  Uchiko, an offshoot the original Uchi, matches its forebearer's dedication to food, design, and service but brings fire to the fore weaving together robust flavors with hints of smoke and char alongside the fresh and clean flavors that define Uchi Restaurants. 5 wines were paired with 2 to 3 small plates complementing each wine.  Servings ranged from sushi to lobster koviche, katsu pork belly and short ribs with a truly phenomenal Jasmine Cream desert.  No one left hungry and there were many comments that this was the year's "best" so far.