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Category: Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Telegraph Ave
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No! Is it really closed?
I've had a couple of good lunches here. Aside from the good food, the owner of Unicorn supported the community organizations like the one I work for. Sad to see them leave Berkeley.
Woo HOO!!!! 200 Yelp Reviews. Finally. Here's to 200 more. Let us pray that I don't get sued for any of my yelp reviews (truth is a complete defense, people, and I stand behind my reviews--if they were snarky it's because I was only dishing the truth).
Anyway, I thought I'd review Unicorn for my 200th. May as well review a restaurant owned by my peeps, right?
Unicorn serves great food, hands down. The horn o' plenty (or whatever they call it) is great. We got two servings of that and another entree for four people, and some tea (we're not big eaters). That horn o' plenty is amazing (it's a combination of a bunch of spring rolls, quail, and other items that you can choose from, including baked oysters). Each comes with a different sauce and everything was mighty tastey--seasoned just right. The fish dish was also delish. That's the up side. Amazing food. You can't ask for much more than that, right? Well, not quite...
Here's why I subtracted a star. Man, it was COLD in there. BRRR! They really need to jack up the heat. We came in there in December and I swear it was like living at home again (my frugal, but lovable parents thought that 50 degrees was the perfect temperature. We were mittens in the house. Love my parents, but didn't realize we lived in a tundra until I moved out). Anyway, I was shivering for a bit and ate with my wool coat on, but when the food came, I forgot all about the temperature. I also subtracted a star because it wasn't the cheapest food for what we got (I think our bill came out to 80 bucks, and we ordered no drinks, just hot tea).
But all in all, the food was well-done. I'm definitely returning, but likely in the summer when the temperature is a little warmer! Here's to a great restaurant run by my peeps. Yummy food, but BRRRRRRRR!
Asian Fusion food at an affordable price, intimate setting, and close distance to campus. This place is perfect for a date if you want to stick close to campus or want to catch a meal before a show at Zellerbach Hall.
Top 5 dishes I gotta shout out:
Maple Leaf Duck Thigh Confit
Five Spice Duck Mosaic
Tamarind Lamb Chops
Spicy Mango Bean Curd and Eggplant
Tofu simmered with Coconut Wasabi Bisque
Well, at least these are my favorites after coming back here multiple times. These are the sure winners and you can't go wrong with it.
Service is attentive, and if you are in a rush, please feel free to tell them and they will hurry your order accordingly. What really makes this a deal-breaker is the price they offer for the food and the ambiance. It's really affordable especially on a college budget if you want to take someone to a nice dinner but don't want to break over $50.
Don't let the prices fool you though. For such an affordable price, you get great food.
P.S. They used to have a seasonal venison offering, but that has not been on the menu for a while...
I've only been here once before a formal with a group of 4 couples.. Good service.. Food was decent.. We had complimentary passion fruit sorbets with champagne.. which was nice! and then ordered family style prawns/spring rolls/noodles.. and i forgot the rest.. sorry :(
decoration was nice.. a bit hard to believe a nice dining place located on telegraph though.. but it is there!!!!!
I gave 1 star because the Berkeley location is now CLOSED. The restaurant moved to San Francisco, as becomes obvious when visiting the website or trying to call the disconnected phone number.
They need to update their Yelp listing and website.
Came here on a Wednesday night after 8:30 and it was packed!
I was totally unarmed yelp-information wise......so I didn't know to expect and subsequently...LOVE the pre-dinner palate cleanser of passion fruit sorbet topped with champagne in a shot glass!!!!! ; ) ; ) so yummy.... definitely want to make that at home now.
We got the sampler for two of the different rolls, calamari, mussels, and quail.... best choice ever!! This was way more fun to share than just ordering regular dishes I would imagine....
And the staff is so nice.....our waitress quickly described each little sauce that went with each part of the dish without making it long & drawn out so that we could get to the eating...(salt & pepper lime, sweet and sour, honey lychee sauce??)
Also you can get http://restaurant.com coupons for here... I think $10 for a $25 coupon. Definitely gonna utilize that next time!! :D
This place is pretty small and seating is tight...but it gets 5 stars for a south berkeley spot!!
Everyone knows that fusion is code for expensive. It's almost like Super Sizing your meal, without the extra food. Fortunately, they screwed up big time on my bill and they accidentally did not charge me for the drinks we ordered. I was very pleased.
The food itself was very pleasant. I had the prawns and was happy with my choice. The passion fruit sorbet and champagne they serve to cleanse your palate before the main course was delicious! The space itself is nice although cramped. For that reason I don't think it would be good for groups.
I do have to say that unless they screw up your bill, this place is really expensive. The food is nice, but not good enough to warrant the Super Size prices.
I knew it was too good to be true-- a delicious, well-priced sit-down restaurant in this dumpy area of town?
I just had to open my damn foolish heart to the possibility that unicorns were real.
Be still, my stony, broken heart.
Unicorn is utterly impressive when you calculate the smoothness of service and deliciousness of the… Read more »
At about $25 per person (after tax + tip), this is by far the most I've ever paid for Asian food in my life. I grew up accustomed to cheap and delicious Chinese food, where a dinner for three easily could cost less than $30, so for me to willingly cough up $25pp is serious business.
Part of this willingness naturally has to do with the fact that good Asian is surprisingly scarce in Berkeley. But Unicorn really is pretty delicious in its own right. I've tried a decent portion of their menu at this point, since my first time there was a 21st birthday dinner, and my favorites are:
(1) Maple Leaf Duck Thigh Confit: I LOVE duck, especially duck confit. The added bonus is that this dish comes up with one of my absolute favorite foods in the world, "green onion roti". At least, that's what they call it at Unicorn. I know it as "cong you bing" / green onion pancake.
(2) Chao Zhou Rolls: Fried to crispy perfection without feeling too greasy.
(3) Mekong Filet of Bass: Tender chunks of fish coated in yummy sauce. What's not to like?
I'm definitely going to be back, but hopefully armed with a http://restaurant.com certificate : )
We dropped by early on a Friday evening. I knew luck would be with us, it was Tristan's birthday! At first I thought the waitress was gonna throw some static when we didn't have reservations...but it turns out, Ashley is way cool!
LOTS of hipster types. Some way skinny blonde Eurotrash mook brought in a "hot" girl. They looked so banally sweet. Bleh. I bet they went home and had some of that "sweet Arian sex that they love so darn much." (Thank you Dr. Cox)
Anyway, poor Ashley has to put up with that every night, but we saved her and made her laugh with us. I had the lemongrass chicken and veggies. It was so light and good, and the veggies were so crunchy but not raw. Tristan had the sea bass (Ashley's fave). It was so good, he had to close his eyes and savor every bite.
The spring rolls were crispy and tasty. The soup wasn't bad, a little sweet for my taste.
But...the coup de grace...THE AMAZING CHOCOLATE TORTE THINGY!!!
Ok, booze, good food, chocolate, interesting decor, and great service.
Who wants to go back?
ME
oooo
ooo
ME!!
ME!
I used to go to the East Bay a lot, but not so much since Cal started hanging out in the SV. Having bookmarked Unicorn after reading a rave review, then seeing two of my best Yelp buds review it a week or so later...I had to try this place when I was in the EB for work! Well, work was in Napa, but I stayed with Cal in Oakland.
The place was easy to find, parking was easy to find, and it was empty at 5p on Friday so getting seated was easy, too. I thought it was super cute, and our waitress was really friendly. The decor was pretty nice, but I think they had one too many colors. I would have gotten rid of the darker purple. It reminded me too much of middle school (cross colours, was it?).
Overall, I had a wonderful experience. I loved my champango drink, the albino roll, and my pork chop entree! I would have given it 5 stars based on my experience alone, but Cal's drink wasn't that great (red lemon, I think) and the steamed vermicelli noodles he ordered didn't have the right texture. I don't think it should be al dente. The rest of his dish was superb. I'm so glad that I got to try out this place and would definitely come back if I'm back in the area.
Mon & Tues nights = HALF PRICE bottles of wine. We had a ridiculously yummy 2001 French bottle with dinner. My friend and I split the vermicelli with rice paper wrap to start. The waitress called it "build your own spring roll". My mom calls this eating "country style". You soften the rice paper, then load up with noodles, basil, carrot, sprouts, and meat--then roll it and surround it with bib lettuce to dip. This is comfort food for me. Very fresh and tasty. They even had Naimen ranch steak! We also split the smoked eggplant, which was just OK, a bit small portioned, nothing fantastic but good.
Dining area is cute but small. Watch out on your way back from the restroom. The mirrored wall can make you fall down from vertigo. Especially after drinking half price bottles of wine.
Okay, so didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. I did have an inside track on ordering. We first had the specialty rolls (Taro Rolls * Mango Rolls *Prawn Spring Rolls * Imperial Rolls * Chao Zhou Rolls) and sauces ($9 per serving and must get 2). All the rolls tasted really fresh and came out really fast.
Steamed Vermicelli with Rice Paper Wrap ($13) was the recommendation that I received and it was really good. You wet the wrap yourself and build your own spring rolls. There is vermicelli and veggies with your choice of meat. We had shrimp. They went well together.
And lastly, we had the sauteed chicken breast over vegetables ($14). It was good. The veggies were cooked just right and the dish didn't have a lot of salt. I ended up eating most of it. It was good.
I realize this was a boring review. Oh, of note, summer is the slow season. So slow, that I thought they were actually closed, even though I made a reservation.
Don't run or walk too fast! - because you will definitely miss this not-too-well-lit-and-blends-in kind of place. My friend suggested we eat here and I am so glad she did! **4.5 stars**
Out of the three girls dining, one is vegetarian (not me), so we decided to order all non-meat items, although my other friend looked up from the menu at me and said, "Do you want to get some meat?" I used to always order a meat dish to counter my veg friend's veggie dish. Childish, I know.
We ordered the unicorn taro rolls to start (very fresh tasting). After our appetizer, the waitress (Ashley - super nice) brought out the passion fruit sorbet/champagne palate cleanser. It was refreshing! Dinner was penang baba curry tofu with broccoli, sauteed basil with tofu and eggplant, garlic noodles, black coconut rice and baked green onion roti. Everything was so good! We ended the meal full and happy.
We considered getting a bottle of wine since they're half off on Tuesdays, but ultimately decided against it. We had reservations for 6:30, but we didn't need them - the place was half empty the whole time we were there. The bathrooms, though clean, were down an awkward, crowded hallway (lots of table for two on left side, mirrored wall on the right side).
I would love to come back and try other dishes! Their prix fixe menu looks awesome.
Cue May 2004, Ed M.'s graduation date from the kooky world of UC Berzerkely.
Cue Ed M.'s family, Southern California suburbanites grimacing on a rather seedy stretch of Telegraph Avenue.
Cue Unicorn. As we walked in, an indoor waterfall greeted my family. I could see the stress lifting from their shoulders. No longer were they stepping over Telegraph transients, they were now in a land of pan-asian goodness. I had made reservations and planned the meal ahead of time with Kiet, the owner of the store before. We had a large 25+ person party, and the table was waiting for us. I had a budget, and together with Kiet, I had pre-ordered the food so that we wouldn't have to wait a long time, and could still be full, yet stay within the budget.
I had gone a couple times before to Unicorn, and was always impressed with its food, its *very* diverse tea selection, its decor, and its staff. Kiet actually made an appointment with me to help me with the ordering of the food. We did the typical Chinese thing ("Do we have seafood?" "Yeah?" "Alright how about a chicken then") so we had a variety of foodstuffs. Everything came out warm, on time, and perfectly delicious.
Everyone is impressed - my dad was actually *very* impressed with the tea selection. He still talks about it to this day. One of my favorite memories is my very-80 year old grandma pulling me aside and telling me she was proud of me, and that she had never before had "Vietnamese" food, and she now was excited to go try more.
Thanks, Kiet. You made memories in my family.
Anywhere with reservations on Open Table is good enough for me. The food was pretty good and not the typical boring fusion stuff. The prix fixe look interesting, with a little of something and is divided into land, sea and veggie. The albino rolls were just ok. The singaporean noodles are probably my favorite dish here. Other items are good, with nothing being horrible nor spectacular. They have a very broad selection of teas as well. The service can be spotty, but mainly because some of the staff isn't familiar with their food or teas. Example:
Diner: What tea would you recommend?
Staff: Um....
D: ?
S: Um...it's tea.
Unicorn is one of my favorite Restaurants! I am just sad that the restaurant from the outside looks completely Hidden! because the restaurant puts a waterfall in the entrance way so you can't really see what's inside! I recommend putting more lights on the windows for people to see what a great restaurant it truly is!. the Food is Really unique and their garlic noodles are to die for. along with their "Make it yourself" Spring Rolls. and the Peach Desert was Excellent!
The food in this restaurant reminds me of the food in Trattoria La Siciliana because it's so different from other restaurants!
The prix fix vegan course is to die for. Throw down 25 each and you'll have a belly bulge the size of a gas guzzling SUV.
SWEEEEEEEEET
Service: Very pleasant, attentive, and prompt.
Food: The passion fruit sorbet palate cleanser was a refreshing, albeit sugary, surprise. The shrimp spring rolls were okay. The caramelized mekong filet of bass and the Singaporean noodles were very tasty.
Ambience: Feel like dining in a submarine tonight? That's the experience you may be headed for. We were seated in a very narrow hallway en route to the bathroom. The apricot-peanut-mango lighting cast an eerie pall over everything and made it difficult to see our food.
Summary: A decent place for pan-Asian cuisine, although not for the claustrophobic nor the large of frame.
I've been to Unicorn twice. Food ranges from okay to pretty good. The first time I went, I got the butterfish while my bf got the vermicilli rice paper wrap with beef. His dish was REALLY good. The butterfish reminded me of fish that my mom cooked, which is not a bad thing to be reminded of. It was nicely filleted and lightly seasoned with some scallinons and soy sauce. I feel like that the food is a bit inconsistent because the second time I went, my salmon was a bit undercooked. My boyfriend got the prawns with mango, which was a little too much on the sweet side for my taste.
I love the ambiance though. It's a really cute date place that's desperately missing on that side of Berkeley. Also, the passion fruit sorbet with champagne that they serve at the beginning of the meal is really yummy. I'll keep coming back just because of the convenience of the location and the ambiance. I'm hoping that the inconsistencies with the food was just a one time thing.
FLAVOR.
Every dish has it and I love them all. Some are really delicate (prawns cooked with eggplant and onions in a tangy mango sauce), others are bolder (five spice duck with baby bok choi and mushrooms). Get a side of coconut rice, you won't be disappointed. This kitchen knows their shit, and since its fusion, they aren't sticking to tired old recipes. You'll definitely experience some novel - and delicious - flavors.
This is a wonderful place to take a date or family when looking for a unique dining experience. Settled in a not-so-glamorous part of Telegraph, the atmosphere within is transformed with bright colors, tasteful modern decor, a fountain, and great service.
Some of the practices there are also different and fun. They give you a delectable palate cleanser of sorbet and champagne before you eat. I suggest trying the vermicelli with rice paper as an appetizer. They bring you a platter of spring roll ingredients and some rice paper and you can make your own (with a little practice). Everything is so good and different here - I have never been disappointed.
It's on the pricey side, so it's better to go for a special occasion or if you're confident that your dining partner will pick up the check.
Two great meals at Unicorn so far!
This time around, we had the Thai Hot & Sour Consomme with Prawns and the Horn 'o Plenty (giant appetizer sampler, which we got because we were interested in the mussels, the mango rolls, and the filet of cuttlefish). We also got a side of black rice, sticky and yummy. The soup was delicious, with a perfect amount of spiciness. The "horn" was all good, and I'm glad that we got it, but the rolls didn't quite taste sufficiently distinct to really grab my attention, the mussels were tasty but perhaps a bit overzealously topped, and I found the quail to be more work to pick apart than it was worth it. However, this is all picking nits, it was all very tasty, and there was nothing left on the platter by the end. I could have eaten nothing but black rice and cuttlefish and been a very happy diner.
On a previous visit, we had the Ahi Tuna Salad, Singaporean Vermicelli Curry (with Prawns and Broccoli), the Five Spice Duck Mosaic (all very, very good) and finished off with an insufficiently molten molten chocolate cake.
The setting is very nice, the service is some of the best I've ever experienced, and the little champagne/sorbet appetizer that they provide right after you are seated is a very welcome way to feel greeted. Temperature control was a bit off on both visits, either too cold or too hot, and the heating system noise is a bit obnoxious right now.
All in all, a great restaurant, now added to the regular rotation.
Edit - another visit. I made a reservation for 9... my parents were in town from New England, and my scattered NorCal relatives joined us for dinner. We were a fairly confused and noisy party, but Unicorn handled us effectively. I was ever so slightly disappointed in the food this time - competently executed, but it didn't really "wow" me as it had previously. That could have been my mood, though. I was introducing my girlfriend to my parents for the first time, so I was a bit on edge. And I guess I've gotten spoiled. The service was amazing, as usual. The owner and staff do a fantastic job.
What a breath of fresh air in Berkeley Unicorn is! They are setting the standard for good food in a non-Berkeley-divey setting.
They start you off with fruit sorbet with a shot of champagne -- yum! The food is delicious, well priced for the high quality and they have a ton of vegetarian options.
I will certainly be returning here!!
One of my favorites. Totally random location.
The Mango sorbet (now passion fruit) / champagne starter is great, and the mango rolls are delicious. For a less healthy option the chao zao rolls are greasy delights.
Favorite entrees include the scallops in coconut wasabi bisque and tamarind rack of lamb. The mango chicken & eggplant is also very good. You really can't go wrong with any of the duck options either.
They've opened a location in SF now and I had lunch there - same menu and same smiling faces - the staff is ALWAYS so friendly.
A very, very good little restaurant.
Great, attentive staff, tasty dishes, decent wine list, and good company makes for a very good night out - and I experienced all of these things at Unicorn.
Two of our party opted to get the lamb dinner, while the rest of us opted for the family-style dinner, getting one vegetarian family dinner and one "land" dinner. Since I had more of the "land" samplings, I'll stick to mentioning the good stuff from there.
The quail appetizer absolutely rocked, with a great sauce that was as lemony and peppery as it promised me it would be. The duck salad was good, but perhaps not fantastic. The oxtail main course ruled, though. Great flavors, good noodles, and a killer sauce.
Great place!
I feel compelled to write a review for the forgettable dinner at Unicorn even after this location has already closed. There was a lot of hype around this place; people constantly raved the exceptional food Unicorn serves unlike the restaurants in the campus area. Boy was I disappointed. The several specialty rolls we ordered were uninspired in taste and in presentation. Everything was fairly ordinary. Nothing really stood out and I cannot even remember what main courses we had. Was it the duck, the chicken, or some kind of curry? I am sorry to say that I am not sorry this place is no longer around.
Ever since I discovered Unicorn via Dining Out for Life (the foodie fundraising event I coordinate), I've been a fan. I had dinner there again last night and was reminded why I love them so much. By the way, dine here on Thursday, April 24th and Unicorn will donate 35% to a local HIV/AIDS organization. http://www.diningoutfo...
Service. Perfect! Attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. They gave great instructions to peeps at our table on how to make rice paper wraps and turned up the heat to warm us up (it was cold last night!).
1/2 price bottles of wine on Mondays and Tuesdays!!!! I probably don't need to say more but I will. They start the evening off with a free "palate cleanser" - passionfruit sorbet with some sparkling wine. Yummmmm!
We started with the green mango rolls and the taro rolls. The green mango rolls were my favorite..fresh, crisp, and tasty. You get 6 pieces so sharing one order is plenty. I had the Singaporean Curry noodles w/prawns and broccoli for my entree. It was spicy and the broccoli was cooked through but crisp....just the way I like it.
I tried a bite of chicken kebab (rice paper wrap) and it was delicious! I didn't try my friend's sea bass but judging from the empty plate I'd say he liked it.
I'll definitely be back again and again!
Unfortunately, the prices have gone up since I started coming here. I rue the day that the singapore noodles were only $5.95 for lunch. The make your own spring roll platter is a lot of fun as a dinner entree.
The prettiest place in the restaurant can only be viewed if you go to the bathroom. There's a planter box filled with lovely river stones and orchids.
ONE OF MY BEST BITES FOR JULY 2005 - JUNE 2005
The most awesome dish of all is called the Specialty Roll Sampler. I could have sworn this dish was called Horn of Plenty, but that's something entirely different on their online menu. $9 gets you a platter of six types of spring rolls (Mango Rolls, Unicorn Rolls, Crispy Imperial Rolls, Chao Zhou Rolls, Prawn Spring Rolls, and Crispy Mango Prawns Rolls), each served with its own dipping sauce. It's fun to try each roll with its distinctive sauce, and the flavors really do meld together well with the assigned sauces. I think our favorite was the Prawn Spring Roll (a coup since the boyfriend had never even tried shellfish until a few months before).
UPDATE 5/16/08: You can buy a $25 gift certificate to Unicorn for $10 on http://www.restaurant.com. Wish I had known earlier!
My god, where do they get that passion fruit sorbet that they use in the champagne palette cleanser? That stuff is to die for! As many others have mentioned, before the main dishes come out, Unicorn gives you a tiny little glass with a bit of passion fruit sorbet topped with champagne (optional). I generally detest the taste of alcohol, including champagne, but it was actually pretty good with the sorbet. I would come here again just for the sorbet!
We came here twice, once about 4 years ago when it first opened and then just a few weeks ago. The restaurant is very pretty and intimate on the inside, like stepping into a quiet sanctuary amidst the kind of ugliness of Telegraph Ave. I don't remember our first visit there being very memorable. Maybe we just didn't order the right things. In fact, I don't remember what we ordered at all except the seafood bird's nest noodles. That was very good but it's kind of a traditional dish I've had elsewhere so it didn't blow my mind.
Our more recent visit was quite memorable though. We went with friends and prior, I studied their menu on their website and simply drooled. Everything sounded so good, especially with all the positive Yelp reviews. I had been prepared to order the Land Lover fixed price menu but when we got there, changed my mind and ended up ordering one of their fried imperial rolls, the tuna cerviche, and the five spice duck.
My parents owned a Vietnamese restaurant while I was growing up so imperial rolls don't impress me very much. Unicorn had a few different varieties to choose from, but they are pretty much just your typical eggrolls for the main part. I should add, Vietnamese eggrolls are not at all the same as Chinese eggrolls. Chinese eggrolls usually are loosely stuffed with shredded cabbage and little else. Vietnamese eggrolls, on the other hand, are packed with a mixture of ground pork, silver noodles, mushrooms, carrots, eggs, and a bunch more. Unicorn's eggrolls are in line with the Vietnamese version. If eggrolls aren't a regular staple for you, then you'll probably very much enjoy any of the imperial rolls they have to offer. My parents make the best eggrolls in the world (they add shrimp) so nothing ever meets that standard, but I still enjoyed Unicorn's rolls.
The raw tuna cerviche salad--by the way, what is a cerviche? I hear it on Top Chef all the time. One of my friends ordered the lotus root salad and it was huge, but my cerviche was very small, so I'm inclined to think that cerviche means tiny salad. Anyhoo, it was made with fresh ingredients, including some shredded pieces of "green" (ie. slightly unripened) mango, which was a nice twist. I happen to love green mangos (again, something I grew up with) but not everyone likes the crunchy texture and slightly sour taste of it. All in all, the tuna itself didn't have very much flavor but maybe that was because the other ingredients overwhelmed it. Still, I did enjoy the cerviche. It was light and refreshing.
I ordered the five spice duck plate as the main entree and I was surprised at just how big it was. Beautifully carved slices of duck with extremely flavorful pieces of black mushrooms. I was surprised at just how flavorful those mushrooms were. They tasted like they were marinated in the duck juices. Plus, there was also a big whole leg of duck. I wasn't expecting that much food for a restaurant as seemingly upscale in appearance. I wasn't even able to finish the whole thing (also had a side of rice), even though it was delicious. I should note that my boyfriend thought the sauce was a bit too strong. I liked it though and would order it again.
My boyfriend had the niman ranch pork chop. I had a piece and it was good, though it seemed like my duck dish had a ton more flavor. My boyfriend enjoyed the pork chops and said it reminded him of the grilled pork you'd get in one of those rice dishes you can get at most traditional Vietnamese restaurants (which happens to be one of his favorite Vietnamese dishes).
The garlic noodles were good, though not on the same level as what you can get from Crustacean in SF. My friends enjoyed the black coconut rice. If you've never had it before and you enjoy exotic flavors, I'd definitely recommend it. I ordered a bowl of this on the side just to try it, not realizing that I've had it before (many Vietnamese sweet rice desserts use this type of rice). It was good, a hint of coconut and sweetness, but I think I would have preferred a plain bowl of jasmine rice with my dinner.
Our whole party was bummed that we didn't have time for dessert (had to catch a show and were running late), which sounded good. Note: service is not speedy here (not slow necessarily, just a relaxing pace), so you should come early if you have to get somewhere afterwards.
Came here for a trio-birthday party dinner with a big group of friends. Great customer service and absolutely delicious food. We had the spring rolls, crab rolls, butterfish, prawns, filet mignon, and garlic noodles. Dessert for the birthday boys was on the house - some kind of chocolate cake. The kids we brought devoured the cake within seconds. I don't even think the b-day boys tried any of it.
They take reservations, so call ahead so you don't have to wait.
I'm a sucker for Pan-Asian cuisine or any kind of fusion food thereof, so maybe this review is biased....
The chic ambiance of this place makes it a little more fancier than the usual Pan-Asian-y joints that dot Berkeley streets, complete with a palate cleanser before the meal.
A little expensive for every night, the place is quiet & small so it's great for meeting someone or a nice date where you want to atcually *talk* to your company.
The food was creative and presented nicely, and tasted just as great. The seafood is very fresh & not overwhelmed with the sauces (which I loathe.) The waiters are always very nice, attentive & informative about the dishes or wines.
Oh Unicorn! How I LOVE this place. I am a TRUE regular. I started going here when they first opened because it was right near a friends apartment and I have never stopped. I frequented so much that the owner, Kiet, started recognizing me and even gave me free meals, or free tea once in a while. I took friends to celebrate a birthday and got free drinks when he was "experimenting with his asian cocktails. He even sponsored a fundrasier for me when I ran the AIDS Marathon, giving me 25% of the gross for that nite!
The food is incredible. I have never had anything that wasn't great. They used to have these awesome clay pots and some of them have changed, but if you had something before that isn't on the menu, they always make it by request. My favorite is the Malaysian Chicken which is now the Baba Curry with either duck or salmon. I love how it's evolved, so sweet and savory and all around delicious. I prefer the salmon and you have to have it with the forbidden rice because well...it's forbidden! They make it with coconut so its perfect with the Baba Curry and a lot of the other curries.
Unicorn is relatively higher priced than the surrounding Telegraph restaurants but well worth it. And even though Ed didn't mention me, I totally hooked him up with Kiet to organize the graduation dinner. Try the Mignon cubes, it's the best meat ever. Trust me, once you go there, you'll become a regular too! OH! And the cocktails are made with Soju! You know you want some!
We went here on Friday night and everything was great. Definitely vegetarian and vegan friendly. The service was attentive and eager to please. They gave us a complimentary treat of sorbet and sparkling wine. Try the Steamed Vermicelli with Rice Paper Wrap (choice of meat or tofu); it's a fun make-your-own-rolls, hands-on sort of dish. No complaints; totally worth the $20 each (for entree, dessert, and tip).
***Warning: do be aware that many meals listed on the vegetarian menu contain fish products. If you'd like, you can ask your server about it. They are more than willing to prepare the meal for you without animal products.
I decided to have my 21st birthday party here as an excuse for getting a bunch of friends together. I thank Unicorn for being attentive and courteous to a party of 15 that spent more than 3 hours there.
I was forced to order a Lychee Martini to start. It was nice and sweet and came with two lychee fruits in it! If you like Thai Iced Tea, GET IT HERE. It was the richest Thai iced tea I've ever tasted and came in an awesome glass. After ordering, the waitress brought out the champagne sorbet that I had heard rumors about. It was DELICIOUS. And the presentation simple, yet exciting.
My boy and I both got the Sea Course, first of which was the mussels. They were tasty and not to rubbery, and the cream sauce it came in balanced with the seafood nicely. Next was the Tuna Seviche, with mangos and daikon (I think). It was okay, not the best-tasting tuna I've had, I enjoyed the tangy fruit and veggie strips more. The main course was Salmon in Curry and rice. It was good (not much more I can say). For a main course, it wasn't very filling. I chose the Chocolate Torte for dessert (surprise surprise). It was brought out with a skinny sparking candle. The torte was rich! Almost too rich, but it's chocolate so I'm not going to complain.
Everything my friends ordered also looked delicious. The vermicelli rolls with steak were fun, since my friend had to actually assemble the rolls himself. The Prawns with Spicy Mango and Eggplant (my second choice on the menu) was also very good. My vegetarian friend enjoyed a salad with some kind of vinaigrette dressing. Some portions, however looked on the small side, including the Carmelized Sea Bass.
The ambiance was fun and exotic, a good choice for groups. We were often the only ones in the restaurant (on a Saturday night), so I didn't feel like were were intruding too much in the small space. The mirrored hall to the bathroom is a little intimidating. Also, you can play the water goblets! Just don't do it too much, or the waitress will tell you to stop disturbing the other patrons (politely, of course).
Unfortunately, Unicorn's system wouldn't let us do separate checks, so it certainly was a headache to figure out the bill. If I had this experience on my own, say just myself and a friend, I probably would have given only 3 stars, but they deserve 4 stars for putting up with us.
I've been meaning to write a review on this place for waaaaay to long but just haven't had the time. I've been to this location twice (there's also one in SF) and absolutely love the place.
Both times we ate here we went specificially for a charity dinner where proceeds went to causes in Africa. The most recent was to benefit a school and AIDS orphanage in rural Uganda. An awesome South African troup called Vukani Mawethu performed both times, they have deep beautiful voices and amazing energy that just adds so much to the already phenomenal experience. I love that Unicorn has been gracious to support these agencies and offer their space (and money!) to help their missions.
The service both times was fantastic. The food incredibly heartwarming. We shared the Singaporean Vermicelli Curry and the Sauted Basil with Tofu and Chinese Eggplant entrees, they were equally satisfying. For dessert, had the BEST sorbet EVER. Ask for 2, not 1, serving of their passonfruit sorbet, you won't regret.
Last thing I have to say about Unicorn is the decor is really beautiful, it's very earthy and inviting and just makes you feel good all around. You will leave extremely full, content and in peace.
They're closed!!! My favorite spot for special occasion fine dining is CLOSED!!!! I shall visit you in SF, my sweet, succulent love. Nevertheless, I will always resent you for deserting me so!!! As she turned away in anguished fury, a choked sob tore from her heaving bosom and she tearfully flung five sparkly red stars at their closed doors....
Love this place. It's layout straddles the delicate border between cramped and intimate but whoever… Read more »
I went to Unicorn after reading the reviews of the place on Yelp. Sadly, my experience wasn't as stellar as some of the others. I was won over by the ice cream/champagne pallet cleanser idea, which I found incredibly charming. Maybe I should have made reservations, because our table was pretty poor. It was a weekend evening, so the place was pretty full. We got a two top table in a narrow hallway *right* by the kitchen. Cramped and well-trafficked is putting it mildly.
Ordered some appetizer rolls, which were good, but nothing to write home about. Just after they hit the table, our server came running by to say, "Wait! Don't eat that yet! Hang on!" She came back with the champagne cocktail pallet cleanser soon thereafter. The charm I'd looked forward to was kinda lost with this execution.
I ordered the Giant Sea Scallops in Coconut Wasabi Cream with Asparagus Spears. I asked our server for plain rice to go with it, but she cooed over the coconut rice, so I took her suggestion. Big mistake. The coconut rice offered no contrast to the coconut seafood on my plate. The food was well-cooked, but there was too much sweet and not enough savory on my plate.
I wanted to like this place, but I doubt I'll go back. It's not terrible, but it's not that great either. Pretty middle of the road.
I love this place! It's too expensive to frequent (even with gift certificates from http://restaurant.com) but I would eat here all the time if I could. Everything I've tried here has been amazing: wasabi curry, lamb chops, both tofu and beef wraps, various noodles, and of course dessert! (dessert was clearly defrosted, but nonetheless SO good).
Awesome place for a date :) Ambience is classy; stepping inside makes you forget it's on Telegraph. Staff is friendly and helpful.
SO GOOD. try it.
Unicorn is a real treat in Berkeley! Their food is outstanding and the atmosphere is always perfect for a date. I could probably eat there 5 times a week indefinitely but its a special occasion kind of place. I highly recommend a visit!
On a amusing side note:
Its almost unbelievable to eat an outstanding, classy meal there, then step out the door and see cracked out, punk-ass street kids peeing on each other and shouting in tongues. If I was the restaurant, I would hire a couple big football players to whoop some ass and clean up the street since the Berkeley cops seem to keep themselves busy harassing tree protesters most of the time.
Our waitress was beautiful with beautiful eyes. It's worth the trip just for this alone. My girlfriend believes the waitress had on colored contact lenses. I concur. I don't care. Beauty is beauty.
Anyway, The decor is great. My scallops in wasabi/coconut sauce was delicious. My pepper shrimp appetizer was quite good. The complimentary champagne sorbet to start things off is a nice, tasty touch.
I'd definitley go back to try other dishes.
Update: I went back to try other dishes. i split the horn of plent prix fixe with somebody. i'm not impressed. i had a coconut-wasabi-soju cocktail that was incredible.
3.5 stars.
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Claremont
Category: Asian Fusion
Neighborhood: Fourth Street
Category: French
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: French
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