Uchi chef set to open new Cherry Creek restaurant

Dig in: Cole, a James Beard Award recipient, last month hosted a tasting — al fresco, no less — at Uchi's garden to showcase the non-traditional Japanese cuisine he intends to serve at the new restaurant.

Best bites: The aged Colorado ribeye makes for a triumphant entree, and unexpectedly, it was the best dish on the tasting menu.

• While it's heavy on mushrooms, both pureed and seared, it was the most flavorful fare in a sea of fishy appetizers.

What to try: You really can't go wrong with any raw seafood Cole puts atop a tiny bed of rice, but the black bream, striped jack and aged goldeneye snapper nigiri dishes were tasty standouts.

• For dessert, order the fancy s'more: It's a marshmallow fluff pie made with a graham cracker crust and black sesame praline.

What's next: The restaurant anticipates opening before year's end, a spokesperson tells us.