Uchi DC. Photograph by Sophie Macaluso.
Uchi. 1700 M St., NW.
A swanky new Japanese restaurant with locations spanning from West Hollywood to Miami has landed in DC. Uchi was founded in Austin more than two decades ago by James Beard award-winning chef Tyson Cole and will begin serving its popular yellowtail crudo and sweet chili-glazed Brussels sprouts downtown today.
Leading the kitchen locally is chef de cuisine Rob Drennan, who worked for Uchi’s sister restaurant Uchiko in Austin about 15 years ago. Drennan’s culinary career has taken him from Norway to Hong Kong, but more recently, he was senior culinary manager for the group behind Rose’s Luxury and Pineapple & Pearls.
“It definitely feels kind of full circle. It almost feels like a homecoming in certain ways,” Drennan says.
Some staples have stuck around since Drennan’s early days with the company, including those crispy fried Brussels sprouts glazed in a fish caramel chili sauce and the hama chili, a yellowtail crudo with ponzu sauce, orange segments, and Thai chilies. The latter has been on the menu since the first Uchi opened in 2003.
Photograph courtesy Uchi.
The menu features plenty of other raw dishes, from a scallop-and- passionfruit crudo to a wagyu tartare with fried jalapeno. A full sushi list includes the latest imports from Toyosu seafood market in Japan as well as some dry-aged fish options. The menu also includes a variety of grilled skewers, tempura, and classics like karaage, along with a wide range of vegetarian plates.
Photograph courtesy Uchi.
Drennan has also added his own touches to the menu, including chawanmushi, a silky egg custard dressed with Maryland crab, a bit of bacon, seasonal vegetables, and a dusting of dehydrated crab roe. He’s also introduced a plancha-grilled pork belly served with fermented black bean puree, lychee, and coconut.
Diners can sample all the menu classics with a seven-course “signature tasting” for $120. A more elaborate “chef’s tasting” for $300 to $350 will offer a more personalized, custom experience.
The bar at Uchi. Photograph by Sophie Macaluso.
And for those who are looking for something a little more affordable, Uchi has a daily happy hour from 4 to 6 PM with $10 cocktails, $9 wines and sakes, and discounted food. The full cocktail menu ($16 to $21) includes a sake-infused martini and classic Suntory Toki high ball, but also a margarita.
The modern, wood-toned space will have two private dining rooms plus an 18-seat bar and 14-seat sushi counter. The restaurant group’s own design firm, Hai Design Studio, drew inspiration from Edward Durrell Stone, who designed the nearby National Geographic Society in the ’60s and the “era of martinis and espionage.”
DC is the latest in Uchi’s nationwide expansion push. The restaurant now has 10 locations nationwide, with more coming to Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Newport Beach.
Food Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind DC’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.