Stuff I Love: Umami Burger
I miss blogging, and in an effort to return to more regular posts, I’m starting a new thing: “Stuff I Love” posts. How does this differ from most of my other posts? Um… it doesn’t. But this is my excuse to talk about the many tiny things I discover, uncover, or enjoy in my everyday life. First up:
Umami Burger
Yes, that’s right. Despite the fact that I don’t eat meat, my first entry is about a burger place.
I first heard about Umami Burger from a friend, and was dubious. Burgers have never been my thing. Then last weekend, with friends visiting from out of town, we had a chance to hit the Umami Burger in Santa Monica and took a chance.
The place was hard to find, since it has no signage. Actually, the entire block is branded as part of Fred Segal. The only thing that tipped us off was the long line of people outside waiting for the place to open, and these apparently iconic burger lips:
If you aren’t familiar with the concept of umami, it’s considered the fifth taste. (Follow that link for more info.) All I can say is that I ate the best veggie burger I have ever had in my life. It was so moist and wonderful, that I’m still thinking about it. I consider most veggie burgers a duty, not a pleasure, but this, my friends… this was veggie burger perfection.
Earth Burger: mushroom and edamame patty, white soy aioli, truffled ricotta cheese, cipollini onions, butter lettuce, slow-roasted tomato.
*insert drooling here*
The restaurant is basically a house of worship where burgers are gods. They are brought out alone, perfectly centered on long white plates. No condiments, no fries, no extras of any sort. All burgers are the same size. You can order fries (and wonderful “smashed potatoes”), but they come separately. Nothing must distract from the glory of the all-mighty burger.
Check out some pictures, if you dare!
And that wraps up the first edition of “Stuff I Love.” In future installments, we shall delve into such diverse topics as moisturizer, owl-like measuring cups, fonts, and even books, movies, and tv shows. Stay tuned!
[Crossposted from jennreese.com. Comment here or there.]