It was another Thursday, and Jungdae and I and a couple of other folks were craving sushi. This generally means Thai Chef in Dupont and many Zombies, and while the Zombies are fantastic, the last time we were at Thai Chef I found the sushi quality underwhelming. So I suggested Uni, a few blocks away at 22nd and P. I’ve been to Uni a few times and always enjoyed it.

Atmosphere: Uni is on the second floor of a brownstone in Dupont Circle. The space is unassuming, and sadly (if conveniently for us), it’s always been uncrowded when we’ve gone there before, with only four or five other tables occupied. It’s a shame, because I think the sushi here is quite good. As you come in, you are welcomed with the traditional “Irashaimase” greeting. It may seem insignificant, but I find it really adds to the atmosphere and sets the real Japanese restaurants apart from the fusion-type places that just happen to serve sushi.

Service: There’s really not much to say one way or the other. The one knock is that they don’t have the piece of paper on which you can mark your choices. Otherwise - they bring the sushi, they take your money, everybody’s happy.

Food: The specialties of the house are two nigiri pieces; both are fantastic and unique, and any visit should include getting them. The first is chai smoked tuna. The piece has an incredible smoky aroma - it’s almost intoxicating. The smokiness accentuates the tuna flavor very nicely, and gives it a slightly firmer than usual consistency.

The other nigiri piece of note is seared salmon with mint. The sushi chef actually uses a blowtorch to sear the outside of the salmon while leaving the side that sits on top of the rice raw. When done right, the combination is a great study in contrasts - the rich, fatty inside set against the firm, slightly charred outside. However, this piece can be uneven:  Sometimes the salmon is overcooked by the searing, and you end up with just baked salmon on a piece of rice, which is not quite so exciting.

Besides the two specialty nigiri pieces, Uni has a variety of creative and tasty maki rolls. These are more exciting and different than the specialty maki rolls at other places, which mostly consist of combining two or three different fishes with a “special sauce” that is more often than not 95% mayo. Some highlights here are a crunchy crawfish roll, the Picante Escolar roll ( white tuna with jalapeno and chili flakes, slightly seared), and the mango salmon roll. Not all the experiments work - the spicy oyster roll, with breaded oysters and cabbage, falls flat, as the tiny sliver of oyster is overwhelmed by the breading and the rice.

While the specialty rolls and pieces are always fun to sample, ultimately sushi is all about the quality of the fish and the rice, and Uni does well on both counts. Its standard nigiri pieces and rolls are very good, albeit on the small side, especially if you are used to the jumbo maki rolls of Thai Chef. The rice is nicely sticky and vinegary.

There is also a whole non-sushi section to the menu, but I’ve never sampled it, as the words “pork cutlet” always lose out to “chai smoked tuna”.  Dessert is basically the typical green tea and red bean ice cream and mochi - no better or worse than every other sushi place. There is a quite extensive (at least for DC area) selection of sakes, but I am no sake connoisseur (or for that matter even fan), so having noted the existence and extensiveness of the sake selection, I have no further insights to provide.

Summary: Uni is my favorite sushi spot in Dupont. The two specialty nigiri pieces are terrific, the specialty rolls are truly creative, and the basic rolls and nigiri are well executed. It is on the pricier side, especially considering the size of the pieces, but well worth it.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: none. You can see the menu at http://www.zagat.com/verticals/Menu.aspx?VID=8&R=74427&HID=500003757
• Address: 2122 P St NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
• Phone: 202-833-8038
• Price Range: $3-5 per nigiri piece, $6-10 per roll. Expect to spend about $60 for 2 after tip & tax (sans drinks).