Uchiko

Photos Courtesy of Elite Focus Studio

Hello my fellow foodies and welcome back! There are restaurants that sit on my bucket list of places to dine all over the world. I got to cross one of that list last night as I finally got to dine at an Uchiko. While I have visited cities where there is an Uchiko, I have not had the opportunity to dine at one.  Lucky me, Uchiko just opened in Cherry Creek in Denver. I have been awaiting this opening for a long time, so I made a reservation, grabbed my hubby and sprinted down to Cherry Creek full of foodie anticipation.

Uchiko was once the home of The Ginny Williams Gallery, and it truly is a stunning architectural masterpiece. Uchiko has paid respect to the building, and the artist vibes it exudes. Although they added an additional 2300 sq ft of space, they still pay homage to local artists reflected in their curated Denver art collection. The restaurant is stunning, warm, woodsy, and incredibly cozy.

Unlike their sister restaurant Uchi, Uchiko is all about fire. James Beard award winning chef Tyson Cole blends all the char and smokiness in the dishes with hot and cold selections across the menu. Chef De Cuisine at the Denver location Andres Aranjo is no stranger to this method of cooking with accolades from Mexico City to Brooklyn.

There is no better way to experience what Uchiko has to offer than to order the Somakase.  Somakase is where you let your knowledgeable waiter (thanks Brian) take the wheel with a little help from you as to your preferences. They will bring food until you say stop. It’s like Brian and I were telepathically speaking to each other because every single masterful dish was a 10 out of 10. Some of the standouts were the Hamachi Sashimi, the Toro Nuta mixed with a blueberry lemon dashi and pistachios and the Crispy Tuna Rice. There was one dish that completely blew it out of the water, and this is The Roasted Lobster.  The succulent lobster tail sits on top of heavenly Tom Kha and is served with roasted mushrooms. I absolutely love Tom Kha, and while this is not supposed to be the star of the dish, it was the best Tom Kha I have ever had. If it wasn’t inappropriate, I would have picked up the dish to drink the last bits of this star of the show.

There are plenty of options for non-sushi or seafood eaters on the menu as well, so when you come to Uchiko, you really have so many options. I was too full for dessert but will save room for next time. The cocktail program is extensive at Uchiko, with plenty of Japanese Whisky’s, and wine selections to go along with your meal. 

Fun fact… Uchiko has a happy hour from 4-6pm daily with hot and cold tastings.  The happy hour menu also includes cocktails, sake, beer and zero proof drinks.  Another fun fact, Uchiko is open for lunch daily from 11am-2:30pm.

There are good restaurants in Denver, and there are great restaurants as well, but there are few that completely blow you away. The wait is over my fellow foodies! Uchiko is open! Sometimes, something this amazing is truly worth the wait. Bucket list checked, and I’ll be returning soon.  Reservations are highly recommended any day of the week.

Until next time my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well and be well.