Plano is about to get a dose of Austin-style hipness: Hai Hospitality, the Austin-based restaurant group fronted by chef Tyson Cole, is opening a location of Uchiko, one of his Japanese concepts, at Legacy West.

According to a release, Uchiko Plano will open in summer 2023.

Uchiko is a spinoff of Uchi, Cole's nontraditional take on Japanese food which debuted in Austin in 2003. The first Uchiko opened in Austin in 2010 as a more casual companion to Uchi, with a menu featuring "hints of smoke and char" to differentiate the two concepts. A Houston Uchiko opened in May 2022, and there's another planned for Miami Beach in 2024.

Their menu features sushi and sashimi; hot and cool tastings such as kanpachi crudo or fried cauliflower; various seafood cuts such as fluke, snapper, and tuna, sometimes smoked, sometimes marinated, sometimes seared; and appetizer-style dishes such as tempura and karaage fried chicken. There is also an omakase chef tasting with five or 10 courses.

In addition to Uchi and Uchiko, there is also Uchiba, the bar-driven restaurant spinoff of Uchi; and their non-Uchi concept Loro, the Asian smokehouse and bar from Cole and Aaron Franklin, which debuted in Dallas in 2021 and will open a location in Addison in the fall.

As with all of their restaurants, Uchiko Plano will be designed by Michael Hsu and idStudio4. The restaurant will seat approximately 185 people and include two private dining rooms.

It's time for a quote from Tony Montero, the CEO of Hai Hospitality.

“We could not think of a better place to open Uchiko Plano than in this growing luxury business and entertainment hub, and following the warm reception we’ve received since opening Uchi Dallas,” Montero says. “We’re excited to expand Uchi’s sibling brand to Legacy West and look forward to sharing the truly special experience of dining at Uchiko with our Plano community. We hope to create a new and truly special dining destination in Plano.”