When a new spot opens in town, we're eager to check it out, let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review but instead a peek inside restaurants that have just opened — an occasion to sample a few items and satisfy curiosities (both yours and ours).
The addition of Uchi in Old Town Scottsdale makes perfect sense, but also begs several questions. Can a fine dining restaurant with a James Beard award-winning chef and founder maintain its charm as it sets its sights on growing across the country? Can it stick to its purpose of providing a sushi bar-like experience at every table? And, more broadly, does the Valley need another upscale Japanese restaurant?
A recent visit provided answers.
Uchi is located in the thick of Old Town, on Scottsdale Road and First Street. The restaurant, which opened in February, sits directly across the street from another sushi spot.
We navigated around a throng of people who had stopped to take photos and videos of a Cybertruck parked out front. The entertainment district, which attracts tourists and well-heeled diners, can often feel like a flashy, ostentatious display of excess.
Uchi counters with quiet luxury.
The cocktails at Uchi are subtle and thoughtful, often riffing on classics while drawing on Asian ingredients.
Sara Crocker
Our server walked us through the menu and rules. At Uchi, orders are placed in full. The server will determine the flow of the meal based on the items you've selected. The kitchen ensures those dishes are prepared and dropped at just the right moment – a desire of chef-owner Tyson Cole designed to create a sushi bar experience.
Sushi is the primary draw and guests can choose from a variety of options, including fish flown in from Japan’s Toyosu Fish Market, or opt to treat themselves with a 10-course omakase or one they build with their server. With the later curated omakase, the server asks guests several questions that cover likes and dislikes, dishes the group wants to try, the desired number of courses and price point. Then, the server takes the lead on selecting the dishes for the table.
Uchi’s robust menu offers a range of hot and cold dishes, shareable rolls, tempuras and composed vegetarian options in addition to sashimi and nigiri.
We started with one of the Austin-born restaurant’s signature items, Hama Chili. Precisely cut pieces of yellowtail and orange sit in a pool of ponzu and are topped with slices of Thai Chile, microgreens and roe.
It’s incredibly balanced, with briny, meaty fish, sweet citrus, light but flavorful ponzu and a small burst of heat from the chiles. The dish is robust yet light, composed but playful.
Uchi's Scottsdale menu incudes a selection of rolls. Biendo is a play on a shrimp spring roll, featuring tempura and poached shrimp.
Sara Crocker
The whimsy continued with the Uchi Salad which ended up being one of our favorite bites. Four little bundles of gem lettuce and daikon radish arrive topped with crispy puffed rice. The server instructed us to drag a bundle through a pool of creamy cashew pesto punctuated by herbaceous gremolata. It’s fun, playful and packed with crunch.
Each plate arrived neatly one after the next, with precise timing. Among others were a flavorful, crisp tempura kabocha squash; tender slices of oily, rich mackerel; and Sakana Mushi. The Tom Kha-esque soup is fiery with a strong punch of lime. It is packed with fish, mushrooms and broccolini. Yet, for all the forethought on sharing and plating otherwise on display at Uchi, we found ourselves hunched over one bowl using twee teaspoons to get at the rich broth and large pieces of fish and veg.
Lamb Sirloin is a dish unique to Uchi's Scottsdale location. The hot dish features grilled lamb, silky squash puree, a sweet-tart relish and pickled rosettes of kabocha squash.
Sara Crocker
The drinks are subtle and thoughtful, with riffs on classics that often draw on Asian ingredients. The Hiro Spritz, a lower-ABV option, pulls on floral St. Germain, cantaloupe and mint and is topped with prosecco for a refreshing, not-too-sweet opener. The bar team also brightens up a classic old fashioned with yuzu bitters and citrus oleo – which makes the Suntory Whisky Toki-based sipper smooth and rich without feeling heavy.
Throughout our meal, Uchi and its team proved they are up to the challenge of charming local diners with the restaurant's upscale yet playful take on Japanese cuisine. As more high-end spots open around town, Uchi stands out thanks to its understated, balanced and thoughtful presentation of luxury.
