Uchi

Rock star sushi in a Zen house
Word to the wise: Sit at the bar to watch sushi masters at work. They're happy to answer questions, even as their knives move at lightning speed.

Executive chef Tyson Cole, who earned the 2011 James Beard award for best chef in the Southwest, is known for innovative pairings, such as bigeye tuna with pumpkin seed oil and Fuji apple or smoked yellowtail with yuca chips and Asian pear. The land-based foods are equally groundbreaking: seared goose liver with fish caramel oozes with savory goodness and just a hint of sweetness.
Whimsical desserts include peanut butter semifreddo with apple sorbet and panna cotta with a mango center. The amber interior walls and Zen landscaping around Uchi's cozy house are warm, visually striking, and inviting, much like the food.

When Uchi opened in 2003, it was one of only a handful of sushi restaurants in a town obsessed with barbecue and Mexican food. Uchi helped bring sushi into the mainstream in Austin, and it now attracts just as many young dot-com entrepreneurs as middle-age foodies.