Designed with Taste: Uchiko

Uchiko, designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, takes cues from the Japanese farmhouse using timber and tiling to create a warm atmosphere invoking the old and new simultaneously.

Uchiko is a fiery counterpoint to Chef Tyler Cole’s original restaurant while retaining the fresh, clean flavors of Uchi.  Many dishes carry the subtle aromas of wood smoke while others contrast with the char derived from live fire cooking over a yakitori grill.

The sunken hearths that are the focal point of many rural homes in Japan were the starting point for the design team resulting in a scaled-up version for Uchiko Houston. Instead of being placed in the ground, the hearth concept has been transformed into a reception area framed by a partition wall of latticed wooden beams with blue tiling and painting intimating Japanese visual culture. Throughout the restaurant warm tones of timber and Venetian plaster are found alongside cooler blues of the banquette upholstery, the smoky blue wallpaper created by artist Camille Warmington, and in the murals hand painted by  Alfredo and Vera Montenegro that draw the eye up to the gently curving ceiling.

Join us for a tour of Uchiko, and a sampling of fair and tour with Tracie Gesch, IIDA and Jay Colombo, AIA, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture; Chef Shaun King, Uchiko; and Ellen Saathoff, Hai Hospitality.

Designed with Taste, an event series from Architecture Center Houston explores Houston’s newest restaurants to examine how design affects the dining experience. Hear about the design inspiration for the spaces, and how it interacts with the culinary offerings. Is the food influenced by the design, or is it the other way around? Enjoy lite bites and cocktails, and decide for yourself.