A report on the new Uni (Boston, MA)

We gave the new Uni (in the old Clio space) a try on Saturday night just six days after they opened. It was terrific! Full report and photos - http://www.pearlsandoysters.com/2016/02/09/boston-uni/

-KB

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What’s the point in posting if you are only providing a link? IMO we’re trying to build a community here and it would be great to have information and discussion on this site. I’d love to hear of experiences at the new Uni.

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My sincere apologies if I have caused offense. First, I said that Uni was terrific and I could have left it at that. I added the link which directs you to a write up and pictures of my recent experience there because I thought if people wanted more detail they might find the write up interesting. If, however, this site only wants original content that is entirely its prerogative and I respect that.

I read the link, and I thought it provided a vivid and utterly fetching description of your meal. I loved your write-up so much that it inspired me to make a reservation for this evening. I cannot wait. Thank you for taking the time to write such an informative piece, even though I must click to read on your site (which has so many other delicious write-ups, it was worth the trip).

Thanks! :slight_smile:

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What’s wrong with copy and paste? I have done it many times for restaurant reviews. Sometimes there is the added benefit of remembering something else, after the fact, or improving on the writing or embellishing, etc.

Thanks Small Plates for your kind words. I hope your experience tonight is as wonderful as ours was last week.

SG - The writeup had a number of photos (and a drawing) and they were incorporated into what I wrote. It hopefully somewhat all flowed together so just cutting and pasting the text would lose that aspect thus the link. As I said above, however, if this site does not wants links I totally respect that.

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Stay tuned! :slight_smile:

the link is fine by me, though maybe it wouldn’t hurt to post an excerpt and single photo with a link-out to additional content? In any case, there’s not so much going on here yet that I personally see this as any big deal. Thanks for the write up.

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I’m not offended at all. It just seems that you’re trying to drive traffic to your blog rather contribute here. Links just don’t generate much discussion or expand the knowledge base, which is a bummer as far as this forum is concerned. It is very easy to post text with photos embedded here if you really wanted to. If you then posted a url at the bottom of your post that would probably generate more repeat traffic to your blog, as people would want more of a good thing.

Unlike Chowhound I am not especially concerned about food blog mentions since I am not in it for the money, and if it adds to the discussion/ sharing of knowledge. In this case, I’d love to hear a little bit more details about the meal and what made you love your meal. Its your decision of course whether you post all, some or none of the materials from your blog, since you own your writing. Personally I think it gets more eyes on a thread if there is active back and forth.

Yesterday when i looked at this thread, it had about 30-40 views and about 5 clicks on the link, i.e. a big dropoff between people entering the thread and people clicking the link. From a practical standpoint as a poster, links often serve as a psychological barrier and are not clicked on often unless people are very motivated/ intrigued. This applies to all threads, not just this one.

I am not of the opinion that we should disallow mentions of food blogs, because I think blogs/ blogger posters are an important part of the knowledge exchange of a dining scene. I think the most effective use of blogs on a forum, however, is to complement the existing reputation of the forum poster, i.e. contributions on the forum are valued and people are organically drawn to the blog.

Later once we are done, I will move this discussion of blogs to Site Talk so this thread will be about the restaurant again.

Cheers.

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agreed. I’m one- opened this thread excited to read a review of Uni, then got discouraged by having to click over to another window. I rarely click a link if I’m browsing at work- our computers are slow and buggy and you never know what you might find. Only if I’m super-interested at home will I click through. I have no problem with the content existing elsewhere; I just don’t want to go elsewhere. That’s why I’m here.

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correction: I am not of the opinion that we should disallow mentions of food blogs. (i also made the change in my post above so its not misinterpreted.)

all the no and no confused me.

Here it is in its entirety (sans photos). Don’t want anyone to miss out on an elegant, thorough, and satisfying report on uni. (It’s starting to feel a lot like Chowhound around here!! :slight_smile: )

From http://www.pearlsandoysters.com/2016/02/09/boston-uni/

In what might have been the fastest restaurant renovation in
history, the new Uni reopened a mere four weeks after Clio served its last meal
in that space. Gone are the white table clothes and hushed, formal atmosphere.
Walk into Uni and you feel like you just walked into a
happening party. A sushi bar lines the far wall and sleek metal
fish “swim” above diners’ heads as they sit on a long, comfortable leather
banquette. There is no silverware save chop sticks and denim clad servers
buzz around the room like happy bees. Partners Ken Oringer and Tony
Messina are the executive chefs, Akira Sugimoto, formally of O Ya, is the sushi
chef and Jason Kilgore from The Hawthorne oversees the bar program.

We tried Uni a mere six days after it opened
but you would never know it from the food to the service. The new menu is
four times the size of the old incarnation and the servers and runners
completely know the ins and outs of what is going on with each dish on it. There
are cold and hot plates, nigiri, makimono and uni classics. The
recommendation is three to five plates per person.

The dishes draw their inspiration from all
over the world. The smoked hamachi tartare and the Chinese celery and
mushroom salad were the first dishes to arrive at our table. The hamachi
is in a delicate little nori cup and topped with osetra caviar. Pop it in
your mouth and the flavors just come together beautifully. The crunchy
celery and mushroom salad is tossed with black beans, pickled allium and
crispy garlic. A little Japanese, a little Chinese and a lot of happiness.

The Yunnan eggplant salad is the dish I could not stop
thinking about the next day. A Spanish romesco sauce of red peppers and
almonds, toasted cumin, mint and Chinese black vinegar made the humble eggplant
a true scene stealer.

The ever so slightly sweet Japanese milk bread was light as
air, toasted and utterly addictive when eaten with the yellow chive and sausage
butter.

A smoky shishito emulsion enhanced every airy, crunchy bite
of the salt and pepper squid. It was one of the lightest fried calamari
dishes you’ll find.

Steamed fluke on braised tofu skin and broccolini was
finished with a yellow chive vinaigrette. The fluke was flaky perfection
and the chive vinaigrette necessitated a second order of the wonderful milk
bread so that there was not a drop left behind.

You cannot really mention the steamed pork bun with braised
pork belly without conjuring up David Chang as it is the thing that made him a
household name. I still remember the first time I tried it. Just
brilliant. Uni’s version is filled with pickled vegetables, chili aioli
and BBQ sauce as well as tender braised pork belly. The pork, however, is
not merely sliced like Chang’s version when I had it back in the day.
Before nestling into the waiting bun, the pork belly gets a dip in hot
oil giving it a crisp crust that gives way to the tender belly as you take a
bite. The softness of the steamed bun, the crisp exterior of the pork
belly, the tender interior of the belly and the vegetables and sauces combine
in a way that is ridiculously good.

King crab yakitori was with a black lime butter. Not sure
how it was yakitori as it was not skewered and did not appear to have been
grilled. While it was tasty it was the least interesting dish of night.

We finished with a nigiri plate of Lubina (Spanish sea
bass), Geoduck, striped marlin belly and roasted carrot. The fish was
sparkling fresh but the roasted carrot with vadouvan creme fraiche nigiri was
so interesting and delicious that, once again, a vegetable dish stole the show.

In lieu of dessert, we decided that the Asian “Cheesy Corn”
would substitute nicely as a cheese plate and we were right. Corn,
cotija cheese and a hot sauce vinaigrette are served up with shrimp crackers.
Paired with a couple of terrific cocktails and you have a wonderful
finish at one of the most exciting new restaurants to open in Boston in a
long time.

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Thanks! Great report. I’m eager to try it- planning a birthday dinner late-Feb/early March.

wow. thanks sounds amazing. can you touch on the prices? did it seem to be a good value? i’d love a celebratory meal there but am guessing it might be out of my budget. thank you!

I found the prices to be better than the old Uni. Vegetable plates (eggplant, celery and cheesy corn) around $8. The pork buns were $6. These help round out the cost of the meal. All the prices are on their menu which is on their website. This is the menu we had - http://uni-boston.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/unimenu_1.29.16.pdf It is not cheap but it is GOOD!

thank you for sharing!!!

My dining budget won’t get me to Uni very soon, but I do really enjoy reading your blog entries. Thanks for taking the time to write it up and share.

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Thank you bear! You could Uni in a non-budget busting way by grabbing a seat at the bar and trying a couple of plates. A drink, a pork bun or two and one more plate and you’ll probably leave happy.

That could be the perfect way to start of our anniversary meal in May as we continue to look for a replacement for our annual Hamersley’s night out. Thanks, Kara!