Preview Uni's New Space, Menu, and…Late-Night Ramen

In mid-January, Ken Oringer’s Clio and Uni closed temporarily for some much-needed renovations. While Clio has since reopened (and now boasts a sleeker interior and an expanded, backlit bar), Uni stayed closed for an extra two weeks for a more extensive rehabbing.

The revamped space reopens tonight at 5:30 p.m. In addition to wood-paneled walls, a lowered sushi bar, and leather banquettes, the sashimi bar also gained some street food-inspired menu additions, like togarashi-dusted Japanese fried chicken and—oh yes—ramen (!!). Ahead, get a peek at some of Uni’s new dishes, Clio’s bar and bar menu, Uni’s space, and the newest addition to the burgeoning late-night ramen scene.

All food photos by Chelsea Kyle/Boston magazine

First things first, let’s talk about that ramen. There will be two types—Umami and traditional—priced at a reasonable $10 apiece and available after 11 p.m. at Uni from Thursday through Saturday (starting this Thursday).

Pictured above is the umami ramen, which features a broth fortified by pig feet, ten types of mushrooms, caramelized onions, white miso, and carrots. It’s topped with barbecued eel, a 2-hour soft-poached egg, daikon, scallions, enoki mushrooms, and shredded nori. The traditional version will have the same toppings as the umami, with roasted pork in lieu of eel, and feature a more standard broth made with chicken stock and dashi.

Also new to the Uni menu is Japanese-style fried chicken ($10), which will also be available late night and at the Clio bar (in addition to regular Uni dinnertime hours). These aren’t your average chicken nuggets; to make them, sashimi chef Chris Gould compresses multiple layers of chicken thigh meat (using transglutaminase, or meat glue), coats it with rice flour and kudzu, a root-derived starch similar to cornstarch, dunks them in the fryer and then dusts them with togarashi, a type of Japanese chili pepper. The chicken is served with kimchi and Chinese hot mustard.

Clio’s bar menu also gets a boost. Clockwise from top left: bone marrow with candied kumquats and pickled ginger ($9), tamarind-glazed pork belly steam buns with chili aioli and pickled veggies ($7 each; these are different from the ones previously on the bar menu and also available at Uni), petite banh mi stuffed with spicy mapo tofu ($7 each), and perhaps the prettiest fried onion strings I’ve ever encountered ($9), served with an espellette pepper dressing. Also, dishes like Clio’s truffle pot pie ($24) and beet salad with malt and charred onion ($14) have joined the bar menu as well.

Space photos by Leah Mennies.

As for that new bar, it’s pictured above: it’s close to double the size, with backlit, mirrored shelving. In honor of the larger digs, bar manager Todd Maul will now offer a cocktail course starting March 24 called “Todd Maul Teaches…,” where $300 gets you five two-hour hands-on lessons in topics such as “Syrups and Flavor Profiles” and “Fire and Ice,” which teaches the high art of flaming cocktails. There’s 20 spots available for the classes; email mbrafman@eliothotel.com to reserve a spot.

The Uni space is now more modern and casual; there’s a designated entrance, wood-paneled walls, smooth leather banquette seating, and a lowered sashimi bar.

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