Mala chili 麻辣川味

Iconic Dishes That Define Austin - Austin - The Infatuation

"Uchi has called this “the dish that started it all.” As the restaurant continues to expand around the country, the hama chili—a few slices of thick yellowtail swimming in a pool of spicy, tangy ponzu broth with orange wedges—is still the capstone. The Uchi experience isn't complete without their self-proclaimed springboard, a bright start to Austin’s best Japanese meal. Reservations at Uchi open up one month in advance, and they tend to go fast. If you want to secure a prime time seat, you’ll want to be there right when reservations get released, but even the off-hour tables get snapped up about three weeks out. You can also show up right when Uchi opens and usually snag a seat at the bar (or sometimes even a table). The plus side to an early dinner is you’ll also have access to the excellent Happy Hour. Uchi also has two sister concepts—Uchiko in Rosedale, and Uchiba Downtown—both with very similar menus, and tables that go about half as fast." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs