Restaurant: Umamicatessen
Location: 852 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014. 213-413-UMAMI (8626). @umamiburger
Date: April 20, 2012
Cuisine: Gastro Burger
Rating: Top Burgers
UMAMIcatessen is a rather peculiar concept (albeit one that works). Grafting Umami Burger, The Cure (high end deli) and P!GG (pork oriented charcuterie) together under one roof. Not to mention E&O donuts!
The triple menu. Click here for PDF.
Truffle cheese fries. Oh my!
Onion rings and sweet potato fries. These alone would be damn good.
But we have five sauces. Homemade ketchup (this one actually is better than Heinz) and four others. Spicy, mustard, etc. All were great.
Smushed potatoes. Dutch yellow creamers, double fried with some kind of aioli.
The cure bagel. Lox, creme fraiche, onions etc. A very (very) slightly lighter high end version of the classic.
Manly burger. Beer-cheddar cheese, smoked-salt onion strings, bacon lardons. Wow!
Shrimp Burger with Yuzu-Kosho. Wild shrimp patty with japanese spices.
Ahi Tuna Burger. Hand chopped ahi tuna, crushed avocado, gingered pickles, wasabi flake.
The greenbird. Shelton farms turkey, crushed avocado, green cheese, butter lettuce, sprouts, green goddess.
And after a “light” meal like that, donuts!
Carrot cake, rum raisin, cream cheese. Pretty much like what it sounds like, a carrot cake donut!
Tres leches, cajeta, ceylon cinnamon. Yep, tasted like tres leches.
Beignets, chicory, cafe brulot, burnt sugar. The carmel alone was to die for!
The concept here of glomming together a bunch of different high end comfort food joints is kind of interesting. Basically it works as the flavors are unified by fat, plus the execution is good. It’s casual, fun, modern (not in an avant garde way). Basically jammed with flavor, so what’s to complain about?