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We’ve all had those nights when it’s been a long week (or maybe just a really hard Tuesday) and you want to treat yourself to sushi, but you don’t know what exactly you’re in the mood for and you just wish someone else would help you decide.
Fortunately, the nationally renowned sushi hotspot Uchi has the answer: specially curated sushi boxes made just for delivery.
Chef Tyson Cole opened the first Uchi location in Austin in 2003, and his menu filled with flavorful and inventive sushi led him to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2011. Now, there are locations in Miami, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Scottsdale, West Hollywood, and soon Charlotte, North Carolina.
Cole has a knack for serving nigiri (thinly sliced fish over a mound of rice) dressed in bright and light flavors — meaning there’s truly no need to douse it in soy sauce or spicy mayo.
Think sake toro — salmon belly lightly dressed with ginger, lychee, and passionfruit zu; or hirame usuzukuri — a thinly sliced flounder with candied quinoa, lime zest, and olive oil molded atop a bite of sushi rice.
Uchi began offering takeout and delivery during the pandemic and saw the interest in these offerings stay steady even as the world began to open up again. This excitement led to the creation of three sushi boxes featuring some of the menu’s greatest hits.
The idea is extra fitting; the word Uchi actually means “house” or “home” in Japanese.
“With the increased demand to enjoy sushi at home, we wanted to make sure that bringing Uchi home was just as special as if you were enjoying it at the restaurant with us,” says Ariana Quant, executive pastry chef at Uchi, who played a large part in the development of Uchi’s sushi boxes. “Our sushi comes in beautiful boxes that are a treat to unwrap and reveal just like you would a jewelry box.”
These sushi boxes are designed to comfortably feed two people. The three offerings start off delicious and simple, but grow more opulent with additions like caviar and sashimi.
“Each box has been carefully curated to highlight the best of what we do at Uchi,” says Quant. “Guests will experience what we consider to be our classics with our Ichi Box, which features 12 pieces of nigiri including madai (a thinly sliced sea bream with Asian pear and myoga — Chef Tyson's favorite) alongside some familiar cuts such as salmon and tuna.”
The Ichi Box also includes two makimono rolls as well as Uchi’s signature Hama chili, easily one of the most popular, can’t-miss dishes on the menu. The perfectly sliced yellowtail is dressed with ponzu, Thai chili, and orange supreme.
For those looking for something with a bit more oomph, the Ni Box levels things up a bit. “Our Ni Sushi boxes include all the classic bites from the Ichi Box with the addition of a chirashi box, which is a classic Japanese way of enjoying raw fish,” says Quant. Chirashi means “scattered” and typically includes sashimi-style fish on top of rice and toppings. “Ours includes five varieties of fish served over sushi rice with ikura, avocado, and negi to garnish.”
If you want to really treat yourself, the San Box is the way to go.
“Our ultimate sushi box is the San Box,” shares Quant. It’s the Ni Box, plus two 15 gram sets of caviar, served with crème fraîche and crispy potato chips. Two mother-of-pearl spoons are included to round out this opulent experience.
To create the perfect Uchi-approved ambiance at home, Quant says there’s no right or wrong way to do it. “We want guests to enjoy sushi the way they want at home. Whether it is crowded around the coffee table with your favorite show, by candlelight at the dining table, or as part of a potluck dinner with friends,” shares Quant.
Uchi’s sushi boxes highlight a large portion of the “Cool Tastings” section of the menu, but if you’re looking to experience more of Uchi’s menu alongside your sushi box, Quant says, you can't go wrong with grilled edamame, maybe a Walu Walu (oak-grilled escolar, yuzupon, candied citrus, myoga) or pork belly (served with Japanese squash, shallots, sweet pepper gastrique).
Of course, there’s always a pint of fried milk or s'more ice cream to finish the meal.
