Austin-based Uchi to open in downtown Denver

<span id=”24070E28-75AE-499E-A08F-35A4CF16D4E4″ class=”img_container”>Uchi chef and co-owner Tyson Cole says he has his eye on downtown Denver for the next location of Uchi.

“We’ve signed a letter of intent and now it’s just contract negotiations,” Cole told me at Uchi Dallas last night, adding they’ve identified a space in a downtown high-rise that suits their needs. If all goes as planned, Uchi Denver would open in 18-24 months, Cole said. That’s Cole in the picture above, seeing salmon tableside.

“We only grow because of our talent,” said Cole, who was in town to help roll out a new fall menu with plenty of interesting dishes from chef de cuisine Jeramie Robison, like this compressed watermelon, big eye tuna, fish sauce and mint ($22).

“At Uchi Dallas, it’s because of Jeramie.  He took our core menu and ran with it. And now it’s all about him and his team.”

“I’ve always cooked Louisiana and Asian style food and Uchi is the best place to do that,” said Robison. “It’s a big collaborative kitchen. It’s not an ‘I’ show, it’s a ‘we’ show.”

Uchi Denver would join an Uchi family that also includes locations in Austin and Houston, plus Top Knot in Dallas.

Here’s a walk through Uchi Dallas.