Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Umami Burger is kind of THE burger restaurant of LA. As of tonight, it is also trying to become the delicatessen of LA. Fail or success? I would say that Umami still does burgers best, but I welcome Umamicatessen with open arms as I am now 10 miles closer to an Earth Burger (LA's best friggin vegetarian patty). And brainaise.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I love the atmosphere of downtown LA restaurants- obscure spaces along one-way streets with the high ceilings and naked rafters, built right into the bottom of an age old building, lit dimly and thickly populated. With a hobo or two on the curb.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It was pretty crowded on opening night! Not too horrible though.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
There's also what looks like a towering oven or breadshelf close to the center. Behind it looks like the deli station, with meat grinders and other gadgets for slicing their cured meats.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And both a bar...
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And a coffee bar, serving coffee from Spring for Coffee, another one of those high end coffee places.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Looks like they're trying to be the one-stop-shop for all of your stomach's deepest needs.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Kicking things off with cocktails. Front: Citrus Tree
Bacardi Superior rum, Lychee liqueur, red and green grapes, fresh lime juice and sugar.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Crispy Pigs Ears. Parsley, lemon, and brainaise. BRAINAISE. Pig brains are mixed with mayonnaise to create one of the most genius dipping sauces ever. Don't be grossed out til you've tried it!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The pig ears were good enough on their own, crackly yet chewy, deliciously seasoned, but the brainaise was completely irresistible.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Maybe I'll get smart eating more of this.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
PIGG Style Fries. Pickled peppers, ham puree, and brainaise. I loved the pickled peppers, couldn't taste any ham. More brainaise would have been nice. For $10, not worth it. Do the pig ears for $7.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
French fries with ham puree. In the plainer version of Umamicatessen's fries, I was actually able to smell and taste the smokiness of the ham much more distinctly. Delicious!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Oh, why not just get all of the fried snacks. 4 fatties, 4 snacks. On the menu, it states in parentheses, "100% lard fried." Mm, good ol' luxurious pork fat. Here is their Pork Corn, with juniper and rosemary.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The rosemary gave a pleasant aroma, I could really taste it. Loving the herbal essences in all of these fried snacks. Haha, not shampoo.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Cone O' Cracklins - basically chicharrones (curly chips of fried pig skin) flavored with sherry vinegar and sage. I love the subtle touch of vinegar, but have never been the hugest fan of chicharrones.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Hoof & Mouth on French bread with pickled carrots and onions. The meat was a thinly sliced coldcut made of the meat of pig's jaws and hooves. Sounds weird, but it was nice. What wasn't nice was the denseness of the bread...might as well just get a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Check out the meat...nice marbelized pattern, I wonder how they made it!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Pork Liver Pate sandwich, with caramelized onions and arugula. It tasted close to foie gras, was nice and smooth, and nicely balanced against the bitterness of the arugula and the sweetness of the onions, on an airy ciabatta-like bread.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
On to the Umami burgers, which is really still where your tastebuds will find umami in its truest form.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Truffle Burger - house made truffle cheese, truffle glace. It looks simple, but it's so much more. Love between buns.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
The brioche bun is soft and fluffy, and check out the rareness of that patty! Makes my stomach grumble just looking at it.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Earth Burger. Brace yourself: mushroom and edamame patty, white soy aioli, truffled ricotta cheese, cipollini onions, butter lettuce, slow roasted tomato. The only veggie burger that I will order time and again. This is my third time eating it, and that's saying something.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
It looks like meat, doesn't it? I even dedicated a post to this one burger a long time ago. Seriously, they make even veggie patties umami. Everyone else at the table was pretty shocked by its great taste too.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Truffle Beet Salad - truffled ricotta, smoked almonds, wild baby arugula, truffle dressing. It was pretty dull, skip this and go straight for the truffle burger.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Apparently, Umamicatessen also aspires to be a doughnut shop. Here's its dessert menu, composed of exactly 6 doughnuts. 3 cake, and 3 yeast.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Carrot cake, rum raisin, cream cheese doughnut. Just $3, not bad for a dessert, but I'd rather eat carrot cake, or a doughnut.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Tres Leches, cajeta, ceylon cinnamon doughnut. Wow, I was excited for this 'cause I LOVE tres leches, but it wasn't very moist or tres-leches-y. It even says that you must allow 5 minutes for this doughnut to soak...not sure what they're talking about because it wasn't wet as expected of traditional tres leches cake.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
FG&J foie gras mousse, forest berry jam, peanut. Like a Foie PB & J- the concept sounds great, but for some reason the foie was extremely salty and watery.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
It squirts liquefied foie when you puncture it. I'm trying to shut out Darin's stupid comments as I'm typing this...
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Overall, it's like an expanded but rather disjointed version of the original Umami Burger. Definitely worth the visit for that brainaise though, and I do think that the burgers here are larger than typical Umami burgers, which I remember to be slider-sized.
Umamicatessen
846 S Broadway
Downtown LA
Clik here to view.
Umami Burger is kind of THE burger restaurant of LA. As of tonight, it is also trying to become the delicatessen of LA. Fail or success? I would say that Umami still does burgers best, but I welcome Umamicatessen with open arms as I am now 10 miles closer to an Earth Burger (LA's best friggin vegetarian patty). And brainaise.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I love the atmosphere of downtown LA restaurants- obscure spaces along one-way streets with the high ceilings and naked rafters, built right into the bottom of an age old building, lit dimly and thickly populated. With a hobo or two on the curb.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It was pretty crowded on opening night! Not too horrible though.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
There's also what looks like a towering oven or breadshelf close to the center. Behind it looks like the deli station, with meat grinders and other gadgets for slicing their cured meats.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And both a bar...
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And a coffee bar, serving coffee from Spring for Coffee, another one of those high end coffee places.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Looks like they're trying to be the one-stop-shop for all of your stomach's deepest needs.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Kicking things off with cocktails. Front: Citrus Tree
Bacardi Superior rum, Lychee liqueur, red and green grapes, fresh lime juice and sugar.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Crispy Pigs Ears. Parsley, lemon, and brainaise. BRAINAISE. Pig brains are mixed with mayonnaise to create one of the most genius dipping sauces ever. Don't be grossed out til you've tried it!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The pig ears were good enough on their own, crackly yet chewy, deliciously seasoned, but the brainaise was completely irresistible.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Maybe I'll get smart eating more of this.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
PIGG Style Fries. Pickled peppers, ham puree, and brainaise. I loved the pickled peppers, couldn't taste any ham. More brainaise would have been nice. For $10, not worth it. Do the pig ears for $7.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
French fries with ham puree. In the plainer version of Umamicatessen's fries, I was actually able to smell and taste the smokiness of the ham much more distinctly. Delicious!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Oh, why not just get all of the fried snacks. 4 fatties, 4 snacks. On the menu, it states in parentheses, "100% lard fried." Mm, good ol' luxurious pork fat. Here is their Pork Corn, with juniper and rosemary.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The rosemary gave a pleasant aroma, I could really taste it. Loving the herbal essences in all of these fried snacks. Haha, not shampoo.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Cone O' Cracklins - basically chicharrones (curly chips of fried pig skin) flavored with sherry vinegar and sage. I love the subtle touch of vinegar, but have never been the hugest fan of chicharrones.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Hoof & Mouth on French bread with pickled carrots and onions. The meat was a thinly sliced coldcut made of the meat of pig's jaws and hooves. Sounds weird, but it was nice. What wasn't nice was the denseness of the bread...might as well just get a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Check out the meat...nice marbelized pattern, I wonder how they made it!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Pork Liver Pate sandwich, with caramelized onions and arugula. It tasted close to foie gras, was nice and smooth, and nicely balanced against the bitterness of the arugula and the sweetness of the onions, on an airy ciabatta-like bread.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
On to the Umami burgers, which is really still where your tastebuds will find umami in its truest form.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Truffle Burger - house made truffle cheese, truffle glace. It looks simple, but it's so much more. Love between buns.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The brioche bun is soft and fluffy, and check out the rareness of that patty! Makes my stomach grumble just looking at it.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Earth Burger. Brace yourself: mushroom and edamame patty, white soy aioli, truffled ricotta cheese, cipollini onions, butter lettuce, slow roasted tomato. The only veggie burger that I will order time and again. This is my third time eating it, and that's saying something.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It looks like meat, doesn't it? I even dedicated a post to this one burger a long time ago. Seriously, they make even veggie patties umami. Everyone else at the table was pretty shocked by its great taste too.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Truffle Beet Salad - truffled ricotta, smoked almonds, wild baby arugula, truffle dressing. It was pretty dull, skip this and go straight for the truffle burger.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Apparently, Umamicatessen also aspires to be a doughnut shop. Here's its dessert menu, composed of exactly 6 doughnuts. 3 cake, and 3 yeast.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Carrot cake, rum raisin, cream cheese doughnut. Just $3, not bad for a dessert, but I'd rather eat carrot cake, or a doughnut.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Tres Leches, cajeta, ceylon cinnamon doughnut. Wow, I was excited for this 'cause I LOVE tres leches, but it wasn't very moist or tres-leches-y. It even says that you must allow 5 minutes for this doughnut to soak...not sure what they're talking about because it wasn't wet as expected of traditional tres leches cake.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
FG&J foie gras mousse, forest berry jam, peanut. Like a Foie PB & J- the concept sounds great, but for some reason the foie was extremely salty and watery.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It squirts liquefied foie when you puncture it. I'm trying to shut out Darin's stupid comments as I'm typing this...
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Overall, it's like an expanded but rather disjointed version of the original Umami Burger. Definitely worth the visit for that brainaise though, and I do think that the burgers here are larger than typical Umami burgers, which I remember to be slider-sized.
Umamicatessen
846 S Broadway
Downtown LA