GAYLETTER

Two recent restaurant openings have really got my taste buds salivating. The first is the taco restaurant that opened across the street from me (seriously it’s like 16 steps away from my front door...I could shout out my order from my window). Second is the LA chain Umami Burger. The taco restaurant is really only of interest to me, Umami Burger however is clearly of interest to the whole of NYC. The term “Umami” comes from the Japanese and describes the 5th taste (after sweet, sour, salty and bitter). It’s that moorish flavor people associate with food like truffles or cheese or soy sauce. It’s also the basis for the burgers at Umami Burger which have gained a cult following for being “infused with secret ingredients with umami properties.” The week it opened I went by myself (sitting at the bar is the only way you’ll get a seat) to see what all the fuss was about. I tried the truffle burger as well as the original Umami burger. Both were, unsurprisingly, awesome. They’re all made with American Wagyu beef and seasoned with plenty of umami goodness. The food at each location (there’s many planned) is designed to taste different.“We want our customers to have a unique experience. We wanted to be a restaurant group, not a chain” says Umami’s owner Adam Fleischman. On the NY menu you’ll soon find the French-dip burger, “made with braised beef and served with umamified gravy on the side.” There’s also plenty of non-meat burgers, which is kind of Adam.  —tom