Perhaps the hottest opening of 2012, Houston finally has a location of acclaimed Japanese restaurant Uchi. We caught up with chef-owner Tyson Cole to talk about sushi, sake and his love of tater tots.

Tidbits: What made you decide on Houston as the second location for Uchi?
Tyson: First thing is proximity. It’s close and we felt like we were pretty well branded in Houston already. I went to high school there (McCullough High in The Woodlands). We looked casually for a while, but when we came upon the Felix space, that really sealed the deal for the expansion.

Tidbits: Do you remember the first sushi roll you ever tried?
Tyson: At my first job at Kyoto restaurant in Austin, I was a dishwasher and then a server. When I first started, I wouldn’t eat the sushi—I thought it was gross. My sushi chef took me to Nippon in Houston and that was the first place I had raw fish – flounder with ponzu sauce and I thought, ‘This is the sh*t!’

Tidbits: Foodies are dying to know: will you try Katsuya when it opens in Houston?
Tyson: Of course! We’re excited to be going there. We focus on doing what we do well and execute – we don’t think about competition.

Tidbits: What’s the best place to grab a cocktail in Houston?
Tyson: I like Anvil.

Tidbits: On whose kitchen counter would you like to see your cookbook?
Tyson: Jose Andres – he’s my hero.

Tidbits:: Have you been following Paul on Top Chef? What do you think his odds are to win?
Tyson: Paul’s one of the few people that has drive, inspiration and passion, but he’s also got a god gifted talent – he’s very special. There’s nothing he hasn’t done, seen or cooked with. His odds of winning are 100%.

Tidbits: Favorite cocktail to sip with sushi?
Tyson: Something clean and light because sushi is all about the integrity of the ingredients. I usually have sake and there are some high end tequilas that go well with it.

Tidbits: Hot or cold sake?
Tyson: Cold sake for sure.

Tidbits: Tyson Cole’s drive-through weakness?
Tyson: Sonic – I get a bacon cheese burger, cheese tots and a cherry limeade.

Tidbits: People would be surprised that in your professional kitchen, you use a…
Tyson: $9 knife!