Uni 2.0 Debuts Tonight with a New Sushi Menu

Uni. / Photo provided

Just a month has passed since Clio, the boundary-pushing adventure in fine dining, served its last, dazzling plates. Since New Year’s Day, executive chef and owner Ken Oringer has led the charge to ready a new restaurant in its place, and tonight, a reimagined Uni Sashimi Bar opens inside the Eliot Hotel.

UNI, as the new endeavor is called, is a more casual, relaxed restaurant than its predecessor, and expands on the offerings from the original Uni. Executive chef Tony Messina and sous chef Brendan Smith remain on board, creating innovative sashimi preparations with fresh New England seafood, as well as ingredients imported from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market. Global street food, like Asian cheesy corn; smoked beef shortrib bulgolgi tostadas; and a Vietnamese bologna banh mi tartine; informs the small and large plates and late-night menus.

Additionally, a new feature is a nine-seat sushi bar, helmed by O Ya alum Akira Sugimoto, with nigiri and maki rolls. Check out the full menu below.

The updated concept reflects Oringer’s evolving personal tastes. “It’s how I like to eat today—creative food in a lively, relaxed setting. I love change and am always pushing to be a step ahead,” he says, via a press release.

Bar manager Jason Kilgore, most recently at the Hawthorne, has stocked the bar with blended spirits, fresh juices, and house-made sours to make classic cocktails, plus a spirited tiki menu. Sake continues to play a prominent role in Uni’s beverage program, with 20 varieties available by the glass, bottle, and pitcher, including one on draft.

The new Uni seats 96, compared to the original 23-seat basement bar. Peter Niemetz, the vision behind the original Uni, redesigned the space with dark, rustic wood; and colorful, tattoo-inspired art. 

Uni is open nightly for dinner, with a late-night menu available Thursday-Saturday.

370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston; 617-536-7200 or UNI-boston.com.

UNI Menu—Feb 2016 by Jacqueline Cain