The Uchi Omakase Experience

We celebrated mum's birthday last summer at Uchi without knowing what to expect. We've never been to or heard of Uchi (Remember? I'm still new to the Austin food scene). Plus, my parents are Japanese food traditionalists. Executive Chef Tyson Cole's menu and Chef de Cuisine Paul Qui, who prepared our dinner, took us for a culinary ride that tingled, tickled, and awakened our taste buds.

This is going to be a long post since we had a 10-course omakase plus amuse bouche and 2 dishes outside of the prix-fixe.

I ordered for my mom the Choya Plum Wine Spritzer. My friends will attest that I'm far from a wine connoisseur. I can never drink one full glass of anything with alcohol, so I judge the quality of alcoholic beverages by my ability to consume it. This outranks everything on the list of alcoholic beverages I've tried, given that it's a very short list. The only other spritzer that tops the list is a French sparkling peach that's like 2 euros from Monoprix.

Choya Plum Wine Spritzer

1. Amuse Bouche: So many flavors in such a tiny bite! This was an unusual amuse bouche because the flavors were very pronounced (especially for such an unassuming set of ingredients) for something that is supposed to ease you into the meal. I wanted a gigantic bowl of greens topped with these ingredients for lunch one day!

Amuse Bouche-red beet gelee, julienned breakfast radish, pickled garbanzo beans, lemon vinaigrette

2. Hirame Usuzukuri: I've never been fond of sashimi. The idea of eating fish that tastes like jell-o dipped in soy sauce and wasabi always made me think of the chills I get when I eat something that looks like it should be savory but is in fact sweet. This was the beginning of my semi-conversion. That's right, I said, "semi" because I'll only enjoy raw fish à la Uchi or something comparable. This was light, refreshing, save a couple of right punches. The lingering taste of the amuse bouche carried over to this dish masterfully.

Hirame Usuzukuri-thinly sliced flounder, spanish olive oil, smoked sea salt, yuzu zest, daikon, crispy quinoa

3. Nairagi Toro: My favorite dish of the night. When the waiter walked in our direction with this dish, we thought that it was a cooked dish because there was a smoky aroma that hovered over the plate. The fish, definitely wasn't smoked. We suspect that it's the shishito pepper puree. I love this because it threw me off guard. From the looks of it, I was expecting another light and refreshing dish, but the nairagi toro had body and substance. Throwing in yellow watermelon also won some brownie points with me.

Nairagi Toro-Hawaiian billfish, ugly ripe tomatoes, shaved yellow watermelon, shishito pepper puree, sundried tomatoes

4. Aji Viche: I don't think I've ever had Spanish jack. I didn't like how flavor slides off the fish; the jack joins tofu as one of the few flavor retardant foods. I liked the texture of eating it with its flash-fried bones though.

Aji Viche-Japanese Spanish jack, oven dried cherry tomato, spring onions, ichiban dashi, flash fried bones of the spanish jack, breakfast radish

5. Hotate Tataki: I would have preferred less fiddle heads because its bitterness was enhanced by the citrus. The scallops with everything else on the plate tasted warm and comforting, especially after the Spanish jack.

Hotate Tataki-seared maine diver scallops, fiddle head, citrus confit, fennel marmalade, nori-green tea cloud

6. Kare Sake: This may be colorless compared to the preceding dishes, but this was the most mature dish of this omakase set. The halibut was uncharacteristically tender. The dish focused on the sweetness of the fish. Something about this dish reminds me of a homecooked meal at a rural fishing village. I guess I'm trying to say that this dish felt intimate.

Kare Sake-sake lees-poached dayboat halibut, melted leeks, fresh garbanzo beans, karashi mustard

7. Tombo Crudo: This is my best friend's favorite dish. This certainly was good, but for me, the tuna somehow had that same natural ability to repel flavors like the Spanish jack even whilst soaking in the sauce and mingling with shallots! If I were more of a purist, I would have appreciated the freshness of the tuna. But this review is coming from someone who's timid about raw fish.

Tombo Crudo-seared Hawaiian albacore, pomegranate zu, pickled cipollinis, california cherries, sweet chili

8. Opaka Paka Ume: The skin was especially nice and crisp. By this time, I was already worried about the meal ending.

Opaka Paka Ume-grilled snapper, nectarines, ume, parsley cream

10. Tako Pops: (added to the omakase) This was super fun to eat. I wanted more.

Tako Pops-sesame oil marinated baby octopus

11. Foie Nigiri: This is my 2nd favorite dish. It's ranked second only because of the fact that there's foie gras, and it made me feel guilty. This tasted like a Japanese BBQ-ed rice balls.

Foie Nigiri-hudson valley foie gras, chicken crackling, sansho, lime juice, radish

12. Wagyu Tomorokoshi: I cringe at big chunks of fat, and they were expectedly present all over this steak. The parts where the meat was marbled with fat were brilliant.

Wagyu Tomorokoshi-grilled kobe-style ribeye, bluefoot mushrooms, baby eggplant, ramps, miso-corn butter

13. Bacon Steakie: (added to the omakase) This tasted very similar to my mom's braised pork belly, which is fab so this wasn't as mind-blowing as the other dishes

Bacon Steakie-twice baked kurobuta pork belly with green apple onion salad and Indonesian soy sauce

14. Cuvee Panna Cotta: The fleur de sel gives this dessert a hint of savory intrigue.

Cuvee Panna Cotta-cuvee panna cotta, mango gelee, shiro chocolate sorbet, coffee soil with fleur de sel, mango & "yolk"

I would dine here every month if I can afford it! It pains me to write this review because I know I'll have to wait for another celebratory excuse to eat here again.

Sunflower

After living in the U.S. for 22 years, my parents prefer Vietnamese food over Chinese food this side of the ocean. Why can't Chinese restaurants in the states prepare a dish without MSG or cornstarch? Show me a dish that's not covered in transparent gooey mess! Cornstarch is used to make the ingredients look fresh and stir-fried dishes look glossy, but to me, it's a sure sign of a lazy chef.

So the Asian cuisine that is to our liking in the U.S. is Vietnamese. There's also an occassional problem with the overuse of MSG, but at least the chefs tend to resist cornstarch.

The family usually goes for pho and banh mi, which all began in Hawaii at My Canh (1152 Maunakea St, Honolulu, HI 96817). That's until we came upon Sunflower in north Austin (8557 Research Blvd # 146, Austin, TX 78758). I suspect that the dishes served here are Northern Vietnamese because the restaurant's forte is in stir-fried dishes (intermingling with southern Chinese cuisine?).

You can not go to Sunflower without ordering Shaken Beef and Lemongrass Tofu. Those two dishes are indispensable. The Shaken Beef is tender with a subtley sweet coating (thin tamarind glaze?), and it comes with lime juice with black pepper on the side. I'm usually not an admirer of tofu because it does not retain flavor. Sunflower proves that tofu can be flavorful. I also love that they use firm tofu.

Shaken Beef

Lemongrass Tofu

All the dishes on Sunflower's menu are safe bets so take your pick after ordering the 2 must-haves.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Pineapple Soup with bean sprouts and tomatoes

Seafood Egg Crepe

Sizzling Cod in black bean sauce

Beef and Rice Claypot

Combination Flat Rice Noodle

Five Spice Chicken with salad

Green Beans and Tofu with salad and tofu spring roll

My Afternoon Tea Obssession

Love it, love it, love it! I've always been one for snacks and munchies, and an official time cut out in between meals for elegant snackin' and munchin' is uber parfait.

My first real afternoon tea experience was at Claridge's in London February 2007, voted #1 by the Tea Guild in 2006.

The atmosphere was sophisticated yet comfortable. After trekking about London in our sweaters, jeans, and loafers, none of the staff glared at our unkempt appearance. Once we settled down in our seats and picked out our teas, finger sandwiches were promptly served.

From left to right: Dorrington ham with watercress, English mustard and redcurrant butter on milk bread; Hickory smoked Daylesford organic chicken with spring onion and honey mayonnaise on granary bread; Organic egg mayonnaise with tomato and mustard cress on brown bread; Organic cucumber and rocket with cream cheese on onion bread; (Not shown b/c we ate them) Scottish oak smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers on rye bread

Mum and I didn't have time for lunch that day so we helped ourselves to a second serving of these savory treats. Next, came the scones. I generally dislike scones because they're dry and hard. Oh, not these of course! They have a pleasant chewy texture, and coupled with the clotted cream and jelly? Heavenly.

Raisin and apple scones with Devonshire clotted cream and Marco Polo jelly

The pastries were nice, but did not garner many oos and ahs.


To be fair, we did hail from Paris, where desserts are almost incomparable save the pastries made in Japan...and we got the best of both worlds in Paris at La Petite Rose, opened by pastry chef Miyuki Watanabe (11, boulevard de Courcelles 75017 Metro : Villiers).

Millefeuille aux fraises et tarte aux poires avec amandes

Does good afternoon tea have to be some high-end, expensive affair? Of course not. I tried my hand at scrounging some stuff up just from whatever I can find in my pantry and fridge. I used 3 day old wheat bread that was sittin' pretty in my fridge for goodness sakes! I bought a bag of frozen Brazilian cheese rolls from Ana Brasil in Austin, which I decided could substitute as the savory "scone" dish. While that was baking in the oven, I collected all my opened jars of shmears, jams, and relishes, took out some ready to eat meats and veggies, and improvised my afternoon tea menu around the jasmine tea and chai shortbread cookies my brother gave me.

I started with the standard ham and cheese: wheat bread, Dijon mustard, smoked turkey, and a slice of Monterrey Jack. Next came the requisite cucumber sandwich: wheat bread, Dijon mustard, sliced cucumbers, dash of black pepper, and a dollop of orange maramlade (my favorite sandwich that day).

My last variation on the sandwich was with tuna: toasted wheat bread, orange marmalade, packaged mesquite grilled tuna, topped with sweet jalepeno relish.

And the end result? Mmm-mmm good!

The cheese roll did not disappoint. It tastes just like the rolls from Fogo de Chao with that wonderful pull best described in Taiwanese as "Q" or the closest Western equivalent al dente.

Izzoz Tacos Trailer

Please visit Izzoz Tacos! Chef John Galindo offers delectable tortas and tacos that do not drip with grease like some of its competitors. Business seems slower here, but hopefully people will realize that this trailer is a gem soon.

On my first try, I had the beef torta that came with garlic fries. The beef was juicy, tender, and flavorful. While I enjoyed my torta, my schoolmates dug greedily into the fries.

Beef Torta

Garlic Fries

It comes as no surprise that all of us headed to Izzoz for our next group dinner.

By the way, the queso needs some improvement.

I ordered the shrimp tempura taco and the padre. The batter for the shrimp was perfect because it was not bready and it stayed crispy even with the slaw and lime aioli. The size of the diced avocado and pineapple paired well with each bite of the padre.

Shrimp Tempura taco and The Padre(braised carnita pork taco)

Texas Fair and Rodeo March 2008 and 2009

I was first lured into going to the Texas Fair and Rodeo when I saw the announcement of a cowboy monkey show back in 2008. The picture of the monkey riding a sheepdog was too cute to pass up! I was totally chanting in my head, "Cowboy monkey! Cowboy monkey!" I was that excited. There was actually an opening act for the monkey, and it was a lasso-ing cowboy. When the cowboy monkey finally came out and did his tricks, it was a big let down. The sheep dog possessed all the talents necessary to carry the show by responding to the trainer's whistles, whereas the monkey just had to hold onto the reins and straddle the dog. In the end, I was still glad that I didn't miss it because when will I ever see a monkey ride a dog?

For 2009, the main attractions for me were the pig races and motorcycle stunts.

But I digress. Of course my main purpose for attending the fair both years was to prowl for major junk food!

In 2008 I snacked on curly fries with baked potato fixin's. For dinner, I had a hot beef sundae with the requisite southern drink of sweet tea and dessert of pineapple whip and fried Snickers bar. This really was suicidal, eh?

In 2009, I went healthier with a cherry limeade, turkey leg, roast corn, and fried catfish.

Everything I ate at the fair was A+, but the fried snickers bar was a bit much.

The overall experience of the Texas Fair and Rodeo is totally Charlotte's Web, except I'm there more for the food than for the pig.