Lisa G.
Yelp
Uchi means "inner group" (family, organization, etc.), and "-ko" means "son" in Japanese.
We ordered Omakase for two for $350, and it was an absolute disappointment. I've been to other Omakase spots, such as Tatsu, Nobu, and Yujo, so I decided to try Uchiko after receiving a $100 coupon in the mail. Here are the key highlights of my experience:
1. Portion sizes were terrible for $350. Everything you see in these pictures was for two people.
2. No prime cuts of fish. The so-called chutoro lacked the rich fat content you'd expect.
3. Poor handling of fish. If there was a chef on the premises, they failed to control the water content of the fish. The salmon was overly watery, lacked salt, and was served too cold--same for the other sashimi. Many of the nigiri had excessive spices, oils, and flavors, making them downright bizarre.
4. The fried fish was tasteless. The batter was so hard it felt like I was eating in England.
5. Pork? Really? It was decent, but you do NOT expect pork in a $175-per-person Omakase.
6. Nigiri rice was cold, watery, and unseasoned. Takoyaki (not part of the Omakase) was burnt and tasted like a mix between a Kimchi sponge cake and... something that shouldn't exist.
7. Service was chaotic. The servers kept delivering wrong dishes to different tables, hoping someone would just claim them.
Now, back to Uchiko's name. There's a certain American phrase that starts with "Sons of..."--let's just say after meeting this son, I can only imagine what Uchi is like. But I can also see why this restaurant might be popular among wealthy Americans who have never been to Japan and enjoy this bizarre fusion of Americanized "Japanese" food--like ManBearPig in culinary form.