TX

Posts regarding food, wine, restaurants, chefs, technology, or travel in the state of Texas.

If there was a tournament for new restaurants today, UCHIKO would know how winning would feel, as this restaurant deserves a trophy.   Chef Tyson Cole unleashed his creative Executive Chef, Paul Qui, to create the menu for their “Japanese farmhouse”.  The food spoke of the huge talent Chef Qui possesses.  Just like Uchi, Uchiko is aiming for perfection.  As we sat down and were greeted by Chef Cole, he told us that we were in for a night to remember. And WOW, we are still remembering!
Uchiko was designed by Michael Hsu, aiming to provide an interior that is said to be of “aesthetic, crafted materials and warm finishes to round out the dining experience”.  We really like the feel of the restaurant, starting with the backdrop at the entry, to the openness of the kitchen at the sushi bar, and continuing to the glass-front private dining room.
Uchiko

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It’s time to take a short break from our New York blogging and return to our beloved Austin food scene.  Thanks to Chef Paul Qui of Uchi, we were directed to the newly born, Foreign and Domestic, led by a husband and wife duo with dynamic, culinary experiences.  From the moment we drove up and eyed the quaint joint, we were enamored to see what Chefs Ned and Jodie had in store for us.

Foreign & Domestic

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Chefs Under Fire™ came and went and left us smiling from its success! From the fervent competition in the kitchen to Jim White’s flavorful commentary to the judge’s insightful remarks, Chefs Under Fire was chock-full of excitement, laughs, and entertainment. At the end of the night, our adept celebrity judges, Chef David Bull, Chef Tyson Cole, and Chef Kent Rathbun, were proud to finally announce the three outstanding winners. After quiet deliberation, Chef Bull selected Keith A. Hildebrandt II (of Texas Culinary Academy) for his exquisite (and inverted!) chicken and pancetta cacciatore, Chef Cole chose Loren Root for his unique, refined version of Cole’s Uchiviche dish, and Chef Rathbun picked Martin Weaver (also a graduate of Texas Culinary Academy) for his original, pumpkin-infused barbecue sauce and pork tenderloin.  And as an additional surprise from the judges, they even awarded Keith Hildebrandt the Best in Presentation award for his beautiful Deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore!
Keith Hildebrandt's Deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore

Keith Hildebrandt's Deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore

 

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The Keeper Team had a great meeting to plan the food and festivities for Chefs Under Fire with Executive Chef Josh Watkins of the A T & T Executive Education & Conference Center.  No doubt the lucky people who purchase a ticket to this event will enjoy some tasty treats!  Josh also told us that he saw several of the Chefs Under Fire contestants at Big Reds and Bubbles last night, the Wine and Food Foundation‘s premier event of the year.  The contestants were quick to admit that they hope to be one of the Finalists, which will be announced on this Keeper Blog on Monday, November 23rd.  Come see the heat turned up in the Tejas Dining Room kitchen for this competition on November 30th.  Thanks again, Josh for all of your hard work on this event – can’t wait to see you there!

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Not too long ago, the Keeper Team had the opportunity to support TEXSOM, during a dinner at Mirabelle Restaurant in Austin, TX.   Combining our resources with some close friends, we decided to advance the TexSom cause by experiencing how a “full-blown” Master Sommelier (or “MS” as they call it in the biz), James Tidwell – and Founder of TexSom-  would pair wines from the Four Seasons, Las Colinas Wine List with the menu of Executive Chef Katie Natale.   Wow, what a smart move we made – James exemplified the Four Seasons mark of exceptional product and service, resulting in a dining extravaganza that exceeded our expectations.   It was a unique experience to have two wines paired side by side with each course, both from a wine perspective and a wine/food pairing.  To heighten the experience, each course included two different food preparations to share among each couple.  The combined thought and effort by Chef Natale and MS James resulted in each couple sharing 12 food presentations, matched with 2 wines each!!  Next is a brief highlight on the food and wine- we invite James to add his comments about the unique wines as he so aptly and interestingly shared with our group.

Let the pairing begin!

Amuse Bouche:

Four Seasons Las Colinas

Crispy Calamari, with Basil Pesto Aioli & Orange-Sweet Chili Vinaigrette

• Txomin Etxaniz, Getariako Txakolina Spain 2006
• Jim Clendenen Skin & Bones Reisling, Santa Barbara California 2006

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If Uchi were a rock band, comment on who you think they would be?

 

Last weekend in Austin was a busy one.  Rain or Shine, the Keeper Collection Team grooved to the tunes of DMB, Kings of Leon, and Pearl Jam despite the mud and the madness along with 150,000 fans.  Come ACL weekend, Austinites are so excited to welcome fans around the world to our favorite city.  From Louisiana, our good friend and Martin Wine Cellar Retailer, Ian McCaffery, joined us for two world class acts – ACL Fest and one of Austin’s best culinary venues,  Uchi! (Great food and good music…how bad can that be?)  If you’re a fan of Austin City Limits, we know you’ve heard the buzz about the Rock Star food creations from Uchi.

Uchi uses the freshest possible ingredients and the fish menu board changes daily.  On this particular night we were enticed by a myriad of fresh fish options.

Uchi Menu

Menu Board at Uchi for the Night

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Posted by Keeper Collection

So first of all, this is our first post for the Alcoholian, and we are so excited to be a part of it! Although we could never match johngl’s humor and wit, we will do our best! Last night’s dinner at Wink was just too amazing not to share.

For those of you who don’t know (which almost brings a tear to my eye!), Wink Restaurant is one of the greatest treasures of Austin, located at 1014 North Lamar. The menu changes EVERYDAY, depending on what is fresh and available from Texas farms, foragers, gardens, and ranches. My husband and I frequent Wink, knowing that we’ll be blown away each and every time. Last night proved to be nothing but delicious, maybe even qualifying as one of the best ever at Wink! It is always a joy to consume a meal in which all ingredients of each course complement each other as masterfully as our menu last night (hence the title of this post). Enough rambling? Ready for the food?? Drum roll..here we go…

Early Girl Tomato & Baby Arugula Salad with Fried Capers & Lemon Aioli

Early Girl Tomato & Baby Arugula Salad with Fried Capers & Lemon Aioli

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