TenTen — Restaurant in Austin

This is mainly for those with food intolerance or celiac. We were very excited to book for my husbands birthday! When booking the reservation you can specify your dietary restrictions and since I have celiac I was really happy to see that. I specified our needs. When we arrived they were surprised to hear we needed guidance to order gluten free, scrambled a bit to mark up a menu for us (which I appreciated). They served us regular soy sauce and I used a little before double checking. They weren’t able to tell us (the chefs) if the roe was gluten free for sure that covered a roll that we ordered to be gluten free. Having to specify needs and wait each time for the staff to figure it out is hard bc we have a window of time allotted for dinner, we are hungry and we just lost confidence that the food was safe to eat. In my case, I get so sick I typically struggle for 2-3 days / miss work when I consume gluten. I would totally drop it if it wasn’t so serious. Our server mentioned that she knows nothing about “gluten free” and that I was helping her learn. When a restaurant is rather high end, and there’s an option to prepare them for your needs before you arrive, I don’t understand why they gave us a server that knows nothing about our previously specified needs, nor how to help us order and to have a nice experience. We have always chosen Uchi, bc they absolutely excel at serving us gluten free and incredible dishes every-time! We are super bummed to have this experience for a birthday evening out! They took off the questionable roll and extended a 20% discount and we ultimately decided to leave when the manager and server could not, in any way, nor did they attempt to, assure us they knew how to serve us their dishes safely.

I needed more hot water for my tea and when it came refilled it was luke warm to room temp, and when I mentioned it, the manager / server just didn’t really respond. Just a very quiet “sorry”, with no offer to remedy. So strange for such a nice environment.

We eat gluten free, successfully, 98% of the time and love dining out. This was a bit of a shocking situation. There was just no competence and for such expensive dishes, I feel it’s really important to include competent service. We did love the hamachi Crudo. So If you go, you should try...

Remarkable Hospitality and Delicious Flavors: A Vegan Japanese Culinary Surprise!

I can see where the name TenTen comes from, especially after this evening! We celebrated my best friends birthday and were graciously surprised with the remarkable hospitality from both the Manager Sandra and Chef Joe. From the moment the plates arrived, it was evident that this was no ordinary dining experience.

Chef Joe’s innovative take on Japanese cuisine was nothing short of impressive. Using vegetables to mimic the appearance of real fish and crafting sushi-style dishes that looked as beautiful as they tasted, it was a feast for the senses. The eggplant nigiri (mind you this looked like fish) and crunchy roll stuffed with parsnips, in particular, stood out as absolute highlights of the meal. He doesn't hide his food by frying it or smothering it in sauce; instead, he allows the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine through, bursting with flavor, and the texture was perfectly executed.

What truly sets Chef Joe apart is his remarkable creativity and use of food you wouldn’t think could taste good together! Not only did he recreate classic Japanese dishes with a vegan twist, but he did so with flair and originality. His attention to detail and dedication to making plant-based food not only delicious but visually stunning, speaks volumes about his passion for his craft. Mind you the guy makes meat dishes btw!

Furthermore, the hospitality extended by the manager, Sandra, added to the overall exceptional experience. Sandra's warm demeanor and attentive service ensured that our needs were met promptly and that we felt welcomed throughout the meal. She touched the table numerous times, ensuring that everything was delivered in a timely manner and that our dining experience was nothing short of delightful. I can see why my best friend Josh loves TenTen.

Y’all this team made for an unforgettable dining experience. With their combined talents and dedication, they have undoubtedly set a high standard for tasty, beautiful, and vegetable-conscious Japanese cuisine. We all eagerly anticipate the next time we come in for dinner! Thanks...

Update as of 3/25/24: I went on a date night recently to TenTen. Again, amazing food and service. We got the Toro Tartare- delightfully simple and tasty served with endive leaves. Then, we got Scallop Maki - it came with this irresistible ponzu sauce and actual slices of truffle on top. This has got to be one of the best rolls I’ve ever had. Then, we got the quail egg sushi piece- the quail egg is soft-cooked perfectly. One thing I didn’t like was the mayonnaise inside the piece but that was such a minor thing! Then, we went all out and ordered the 18 piece sashimi- each piece blew my mind in its own way. There was hirame, wagyu, salmon belly, tuna, madai, shima aji, and I can’t remember that last fish. Needless to say, it was worth every penny- the fish so so fresh and perfectly seasoned in its own special way. The wagyu beef was out of this world - I could say it competes with Uchi’s gyutoro.

Hailey was our waitress during HH. So kind and prompt and attentive! This place has one of the best happy hours I’ve experienced. My friend and I went to celebrate my birthday after work. We saw the HH menu but ordered the whole menu (almost) thinking that the portion sizes would be smaller. Holy cow were we wrong! Everything was full-sized but so cheap! The veggie poke bowl was delish. $6 bowl could fill you up. The makis were amazing. We got hamachi and spicy tuna and both just blew my mind. I wasn’t crazy about the skewers - they were good but forgettable (both the eggplant and salmon). The dish that we loved the most was the quail egg nigiri. It comes with a slice of truffle on top. It was elegant and freaking amazing. Next time, I’m getting 2 or 3 pieces just for me. I also had the bourbon HH drink and lychee martini. Regularly these are more than $15 a piece but HH pricing was great! Really good drinks. And they gave me mochi ice cream for my birthday with 2 beautiful candles. I loved this whole experience. I appreciate that TenTen treats customers right and doesn’t skimp on...