Top Knot May Be Gone From Its Home Above Uchi, But Its Spirit And Menu Live On In The Form Of The Brand-New, More Cocktail-Focused Concept Taking Its Place.
About two-and-a-half weeks ago, the beloved happy hour, brunch and dinner spot Top Knot closed to be redecorated, reconfigured and otherwise rebranded.
It has now been reborn as Uchibā, the cocktail-focused, sexy upstairs sibling to Uchi — a new entity that still serves Top Knot favorites like broccoli katsu, edamame hummus and hot fried chicken, but that reaches a bit farther into the bar concept side of things with an updated cocktail menu that’s brimming with creativity.
And while that new menu is slim at only eight offerings, the flavorful and boozy creations included on there will surely comfort those lamenting the closure of Top Knot.
Take, for example, The Ceremony ($13). It’s a traditional Japanese teapot surprisingly filled with Ford’s gin, sake, yellow chartreuse, ginger and honey. It’s strong and beautiful . Then there’s the Jungle Bird ($13). It’s a sweet and pretty cocktail with Goslings dark rum, lychee, Thai basil and lime.
Point is, whether you’re looking for strength or sweetness, you’ll find it at Uchibā. And, speaking of the drinks, Uchiba will host a Sake Social happy hour on a daily basis from 5 to 6:30 p.m., during which all specialty cocktails will be half off.
Then there’s the food menu, which is another reason why Top Knot lovers should rejoice, as Uchibā will continue serving some of the old spot’s best offerings. In addition to old Uchi favorites like madai (Japanese sea bream), namahotate (dayboat scallop), the zero sen roll and machi cure, a newly minted yakitori grill yields meaty morsels of pork belly and chicken skewered, sauced and ready to be shared (or not) among friends.
Another important thing to note about Uchiba? Along with keeping brunch on the docket, the space will also continue hosting the popular Uncommon Ramen series that in the past saw guest chefs such as John Tesar, Philip Speer and Misti Norris stop by the Top Knot kitchen to show off what they could do with simple ramen dishes.
So what’s changed, then? Less, perhaps, than was initially claimed. Uchibā is mostly just a stripped-down, more dimly-lit, more fired-up and slightly tipsier version of Top Knot.
In other words? What was once a good time now just seems likely to become a better time. And, hey, that works for us.
All photos by Logan Crable and courtesy of Uchiba