Uni is Japanese for sea urchin but if you’re not a fan of the stuff then don’t let it put you off checking out UNI, a high end Japanese restaurant in Belgravia. In fact, you’re more likely to be disappointed if you DO like sea urchin as, despite the restaurant’s name, it’s not used in many of the dishes.
No matter though, as there’s plenty of other great dishes on the menu which is mostly Japanese with a bit of Peruvian thrown in along the way. A more unusual fish we tried and absolutely loved was butterfish, served in thin slices with chilli and lime, which really did have a smooth buttery texture. Elsewhere we had some classic sea bass ceviche and a spot on dragon roll – tempura prawn sushi rolls covered in avocado. Uni also features a robata grill and from here we had some meaty grilled octopus with chilli sauce and chicken yakitori skewers.
The décor is pretty slick as you’d expect in Belgravia but UNI still has a relaxed neighbourhood feel which is nice in this part of town. Overall, Uni is a very solid option for top drawer sushi and Japanese classics. We’d definitely go back again, if only for THAT butterfish.
UNI Restaruant, 18a Ebury Street, London SW1W 0LU
www.restaurantuni.com