Haute Spots Boston: UNI

We have waited with baited breath for the official news that is now finally here. UNI is back in town and better than ever before.

The expanded concept located inside The Eliot Hotel in Back Bay includes the former Clio space along with the expansion of the old Uni. The two restaurants closed their doors temporarily as the space underwent a massive facelift. The new concept, UNI, now features an expanded space with a revamped subterranean sashimi bar and 96-seat restaurant. The brainchild of Ken Oringer and Executive Chef/Partner Tony Messina, UNI now serves up authentic Japanese cuisine featuring seafood from Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market and local New England fishermen. As for the dishes, you can almost picture yourself waking down the streets of Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok or Bangladesh. In addition to its famed sashimi, UNI now offers nigiri and maki, as well as a variety of street-food inspired plates.

Start off with the delicate smoked UNI spoon of Osetra caviar, yuzu and a quail egg yolk or take comfort with the warm oysters made with Chinese sausage, shallots and Kosho hollandaise. Main events include king crab yakitori, shishito peppers, green curry crab fried rice and Asian cheesy corn spiced up with hot sauce vin.

The interior of the restaurant is bright and cheery with a fun vibe and laid back atmosphere. Relax at the main bar or order up some small plates at the sashimi or sushi bars. One of the most notable additions to the menu is the addition of nigiri and maki-style sushi prepared by o ya alum Akira Sugimoto.

If you have a late night snack attack, be sure to ask for the late night menu, which features dishes like seared Korean rice cake, brown butter roasted abalone and Vietnamese bologna banh mi tartine.

UNI is open for dinner nightly and is located at 370 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.