Karrie and I have been going to Uchi since it first opened in 2003. We used to live walking distance to the restaurant, we just crossed the railroad tracks and down Lamar a couple blocks.
Suffice it to say, we’ve been fans for a long time. I was just cleaning out some old files tonight and found an old menu from a very special dinner where Tyson Cole and Phillip Speer recreated the menu they presented on Iron Chef.
They lost on TV but from their account, it seemed like the chips were stacked against them. The meal that night was fabulous – all dishes featuring the mystery ingredient of ginger.
Tyson did tell a funny story about the competing chef Morimoto. Tyson, in perfect Japanese, went up to chef Morimoto and told him that he was a big fan, Morimoto was a major influence on his life and that it was an honor to meet him and compete against him. Morimoto said “I am sure that it is.” And those were the only words he ever said to Tyson Cole.
Rotten Apples and Other Delights 