The buzz surrounding the new Houston location of this Austin import has been so intense that I was tempted to wait until the swarm of my fellow foodies, journalists and bloggers had dissipated. I’m glad I didn’t, because it was a great experience.

Uchi is worth wrangling a reservation for, and if you want in for February, you’d better call now. Uchi books one month in advance, and they are already booked for every weekend in February. It’s not hopeless, though. A large community table that seats 10 on a first-come, first-served basis is a commanding presence near the front door. Additionally, the staff advised that they can often accommodate couples at the bar or sushi bar. The best bet is to come in before 7 pm.

Uchi has restored the iconic window arches from the Felix Mexican Restaurant that occupied the space for 60 years. Interestingly, because of this bit of Houston history they’ve acquired, it seems like Uchi already has something of a relationship down the street with El Real, which has a Tex-Mex “museum” upstairs. Indeed, a recent server-training event was held there, and the Felix family reportedly dined at Uchi during the soft opening. Who would have ever thought that a Japanese restaurant would ever reach out to preserve a bit of Tex-Mex history?

Service was impeccable from the moment we walked in the door until the time we left. From the hostess up front, to Ryan, the bartender who helped my husband discover an unfiltered, yet very clean saké called Yuki No Bosha, to our server who was always there at just the right time, to our sushi chef Ali (formerly at Uchiko, the more casual Tyson Cole-led eatery in Austin), we felt perfectly attended.

Uchi is not cheap. Plan on at least $25 to $35 per person, and more if you plan to indulge in selections from their well-chosen saké list. At the sushi bar, it is served in a glass inside a little wooden box (called a masu), and filled to overflowing as a sign of generosity. Drink your glass, then tilt the box to drink the remainder out of a corner. It’s fun, and the wood adds a cedar nuance to the beverage.

The “ultimate option” here is their omakase, which is $189 plus tax and tip. It provides a 10-course, chef-selected menu that takes care of two people. Selections will come from specials, the menu and custom-picked treats that your chef may choose for you.

Not a fan of saké? Uchi has a respectable beer list as well. I was rather pleased with the caramel notes in my Asahi Black, and my partner indulged in an Ommegang Hennepin, a Saison-style ale that went very nicely with some of the beefier dishes. We didn’t partake in the wine list, but it looked comprehensive. (No spirits are served.)

The food, though, is the star of the show. One of the most delectable bites we had was the Wagyu nigiri. It was scored in a criss-cross manner like squid might be, and lightly torched. The resulting juices flavored the sushi rice that the thin beef slice sat upon. It was simple, and it was perfect.

The beet salad found high favor with us as well. Bite-sized chunks of golden and orange beets danced with delightfully crunchy beet chips. A restrained swath of skyr (Icelandic-style) yogurt provided luxury underneath while micro arugula adorned the top.

One dish in particular represented to me the kind of innovation I would expect from the newest house of the highly reputed chef Cole. Thin slices of fluke were merrily decorated with candied red quinoa, lime zest and flying fish roe. A little stack of shredded daikon gave us a little do-it-yourself texture option as well. We put a little daikon on a slice of fish and rolled it up with the crunchy, slightly sweet quinoa. The dish was such an extravaganza of contrasts that we found ourselves still talking about it an hour after dessert.

I wasn’t wild about their sunchoke and hedgehog mushrooms dish. It’s not that it was bad; it’s that it was rather sweet, and it was not welcome right after the fluke sashimi course.

The dessert of pistachio sorbet with apricot gels and smoked panna cotta was a little carnival of flavors and textures that included pistachios and shiso leaves, both of which were candied. The shiso leaves stuck to the back of my teeth immediately, but that was a small price to pay for the very last bite of this dish that had a little of everything mixed in.

I’m glad I went for the omakase and got to experience as much of Uchi’s offerings as was feasible. I would be quite happy ordering one or two dishes off the menu and calling it done as well. Uchi, after a mere week of operation during their soft opening, is already running like a well-oiled machine and providing memorable dishes, drinks and experiences. Expect them to continue collecting accolades, and don’t forget to call for that reservation.

UCHI, 904 Westheimer just east of Montrose, 713-522-4808, uchirestaurants.com