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1603 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 920-6405
I would not have anticipated to discover a trendy Kaiseki restaurant in Austin a lot much less one which requires diners to purchase tickets prematurely, however a fast have a look at Austin’s eating scene exhibits a stunning plethora of Japanese eating places. That is largely due to the outsize affect Uchi has had on the town because it opened in 2003. Uchi gained nationwide renown for its marriage of conventional Japanese method with up to date multi-cultural flare. Because of this status, lots of Austin’s younger up and coming cooks have completed a stint at both Uchi or its sibling Uchiko. This contains Paul Qui, arguably probably the most well-known Uchi/Uchiko alum and High Chef Season 9 winner besides.
Whereas Otoko would possibly commerce on Paul Qui’s title, in actuality his former senpai (senior) Yoshi Okai is the one who runs the present. Okai, a Kyoto native grew up serving to out at his household’s catering enterprise and after a quick cease in California to review panorama structure, wound up at Uchi the place he began to find out about sushi. The closely inked Okai appears extra like a dokyun rock-star than a sushi chef(Okai is definitely the lead singer in a punk band known as the Kodiaks), however his straightforward smile and high-energy carry a cushty casualness to the intimate eating area the place he works his magic.
SAKIZUKE: Kurage – chayote squash, sawagani kikurage, fried shiitake, finger lime, umi budo
Vazart Coquart Blanc de Blancs Champagne, France NV
The meal opened with a salad of chayote and fennel on a mattress of jellyfish that was a examine in crunchiness. On the palate the dish was a bit jarring, mixing licorice with the funky earth of the mushrooms and a vivid citrus pop from the lime in a mixture that by no means fairly jelled.
ZENSAI: Nopales – itogaki, myoga, uni bottarga, ayu fish sauce
Vazart Coquart Blanc de Blancs Champagne, France NV
The second appetizer was a a lot heavier salad of Nopales in a multifaceted fish sauce that was salty and pungent with a whiff of BBQ-esque smoke on the end. Although I’ve by no means been significantly keen on Nopales, I appreciated the Southwestern aptitude they dropped at the dish.
SUSHI: White Sea Bass – irizake
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
In contrast to conventional Kaiseki, the meal instantly veers from appetizers to nigiri. Our first piece of sushi was a sliver of firmly textured sea bass. The fish was seasoned with, an old-school “soy” sauce of rice wine, shaved bonito flakes, and pickled plums standard through the Edo interval that added a mild persistent fishiness to the historically gentle bass.
SUSHI: Kanpachi – lemon zest
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
Subsequent up was a stellar instance of Amberjack. The gentle oily taste is tinged with a candy butteriness that performed superbly with the citrus-y zip of the recent zest.
SUSHI: Shigoku Oyster – yuzu ponzu, smoked steelhead roe
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
Shigokus have all the time been one in every of my favourite oysters on account of their creamy physique and delicate melon-y character. Sadly the flavour of the oyster was overpowered by the one-two punch of salt from the ponzu and smoked roe.
SUSHI: Mishima Wagyu – negimiso, chives
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
I’m extra used to seeing a light-weight sear on Wagyu however Chef Okai spent a very long time lovingly torching every slice over a mattress of binchotan. The additional time labored wonders with the skirt steak by highlighting the lower’s intrinsic beefiness whereas imparting an exquisite smokiness.
SUSHI: Hirame – yuzu
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
After a quartet of creative nigiri, Chef Okai opted for a traditional however efficient pairing of salt and yuzu on the halibut.
SUSHI: Aji – black sesame
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
Chef Okai served up a supple of minimally dressed Aji with only a sprint of salt and black sesame. The end result was a pointed clear oiliness finshed with a touch of nuttiness.
SUSHI: Hon Maguro – wasabi
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry GG Forster Pechstein, Pfalz, Germany 2014
Okai has in some way procured Kindai tuna, a extra sustainably sourced type of the prized Bluefin. Okai neatly sticks with the classics right here and the acquainted taste of wasabi and soy are in some way elevated when paired with the marginally wealthy twang of the Bluefin. Add to that the sleek even mouthfeel of the fish and you’ve got the makings of a high notch Akami.
SUSHI: Hokkaido Uni – recent wasabi, white sturgeon caviar
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Rosé, Pinot Noir Sancerre Loire Valley, France 2016
The plush creamy roe oozed wealthy salinity with a creeping sweetness and whereas the caviar match properly, the salt was only a hair too sturdy.
SUSHI: Madai – sakura koji, matcha oil
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Rosé, Pinot Noir Sancerre Loire Valley, France 2016
The ultimate nigiri of the night time was an alabaster lower of madai drizzled with a verdant matcha-infused oil. The fragile taste of the snapper was a great base for the refined nuttiness of the oil and floral notes of the cherry blossom.
MUKOUZUKE: Ocean Trout – ponzu, dino kale, lemon basil, frozen tomatoes
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Rosé, Pinot Noir Sancerre Loire Valley, France 2016
Transferring on from the nigiri, we had been introduced with a summery composed sashimi presentation. The tangy ponzu and excessive fats content material of the trout labored collectively properly with the recent basil and icy rush of the tomatoes.
MUKOUZUKE: Black Cod – recent onion, ginger, sumiso, shiso, dried shimeji
Domaine Jean-Max Roger Rosé, Pinot Noir Sancerre Loire Valley, France 2016
The ever standard miso Black Cod has all the time been a bit heavy handed in my view however I fairly loved Okai-san’s extra advanced presentation. He deftly tempers the buttery sweetness with a comfortable natural perfume and trace of earthy savor.
YAKIMONO: Eryngii Mushroom – purslane, sudachi juice, morokyu, fried glass noodles
Château Thivin Gamay Bruilly, Beaujolais Burgundy, France 2015
This course veered from taste to taste in rapid-fire vogue, candy and nutty one minute, then vivid acid the following. Sadly the one taste that was lacking was the mushroom although they did present a delightful slick squid-like texture.
YAKIMONO: Binchotan – hamachi, smoked tamari sauce
Château Thivin Gamay Bruilly, Beaujolais Burgundy, France 2015
Fittingly the headline of this course is the charcoal and certainly it’s all concerning the Binchotan. Chef Okai plates and clothes the thick slabs of yellowtail, pulls out a bit of pink scorching charcoal from the grill, and faucets each bit of fish sending up wisps of smoke that fill the room with a woody smoke tinged with umami from the fish oils. Technically the fish itself is gratifying, however largely a blunt sledgehammer of smoke although the fennel and olive oil assist issues considerably.
MUSHIMONO: Gomadofu – bubu arare, ikura, yuzu zest, black truffle oil
Area Louis Bovard Chasselas, “Mèdinette” Dèzaley Grand Cru, Vaud, Switzerland 2013
I have been warming to sesame tofu of late. The impartial nutty block is an ideal car for no matter flavors the chef sees match to pair, on this case the truffle oil and yuzu. The bubu arare actually pops right here like a savory cereal dippin dots.
AGEMONO: Tempura – okra, sansho
AGEMONO: Tempura – ovoli mushroom, sal de gusano
Area Louis Bovard Chasselas, “Mèdinette” Dèzaley Grand Cru, Vaud, Switzerland 2013
Subsequent we had been introduced with two forms of vegetable tempura, the primary was a Japanese-influenced tackle fried okra. The Italian Ovoli mushroom was positively the extra memorable of the duo, with a deep earthiness tinged with candy yeastiness of the freshly fried batter.
SHIRUMONO: Kyuri Gazpacho – koebi, mango, Thai chili, mint, pine nut
Maximin Grünhäser Riesling Auslese Herrenberg, Mosel, Germany 2011
The cool cucumber gazpacho was a pleasant follow-up to the hefty tempura. The verdant broth is unabashedly tangy with layers of warmth and sweetness to maintain the dish from being too astringent. The shrimp was a contact overdone and in my view superfluous to the cohesiveness of the dish.
MIZUMONO: Persimmon – nectarine, apple
Maximin Grünhäser Riesling Auslese Herrenberg, Mosel, Germany 2011
The straightforward fruit intermezzo was particularly efficient with the sweetness of the fruit standing in sharp reduction to the acidity of the Gazpacho.
KANMI: Natsu no Hibiki – (concord of summer time)
Maximin Grünhäser Riesling Auslese Herrenberg, Mosel, Germany 2011
The ultimate dessert was as a lot a feast for the eyes as for the palate. The prickly pear ice cream rests atop a mattress of frozen sushi rice milk with the latter offering a creamy even mood to the unabashed florid taste of the cacti. The bits of avocado and mochi tempura carry a touch of savor and substance that spherical out the frozen components within the bowl.
From the second that you simply step into the eating room at Otoko you might be in for a deal with nicely definitely worth the $150 ticket worth. Whereas not all of the dishes labored for me, I definitely appreciated the irreverent creativity that went into them. It’s that mixture of ambition and high-octane punk-rock aptitude that landed Okai a spot on Meals & Wine’s record of finest new cooks for 2017.
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