The Chilean sea bass, the one thing I would sort of recommend here.
I visited Umami in Brookline because UrbanDaddy wrote it up.
The food is creative Asian (billed as Japanese, but it’s not that exclusively). From the menu, it reads, “Asian Inspired Global mix of culinary imagination with a creative twist.” I first had inklings of what was to come reading the Umami menu, which sounded more like a hopeful amalgam of seasonings than a clear vision. Also, they picked an ugly font, so the typographer in me balked.
Service was bumbling, but earnest. I liked our server, actually. He was kind of awkward, but very sweet.
My suspicions as to the food, however, were confirmed with their free “appetizer.” So there’s nothing wrong with free appetizers, but I mean… just look at this:
The matchstick cucumbers were actually the wet, seedy cucumber innards. When you picked on up, it flopped.
Somewhere, a supermarket veggie platter was crying its little ranch dressing tears. (I keep rereading this sentence. It’s so harsh. I feel kind of bad. But it’s true.)
The Southeast Asian black tiger shrimp were fine and unremarkable, and more noted for the absence of their promised complex flavor-amalgam. (garlic butter, smoked cayenne peppers, lemon thyme, baby cilantro) Unannounced was the high onion presence. I guess that’s ok – I like onion.
My dining partner’s Chilean sea bass fine but unremarkable, sitting on a bed of sweet potato and some bland bok choy. He asked for salt.
The real story of the whole meal, however, was my steak tips. Being an offal lover (brains, balls, and everything in between), I was excited by the promise of star anise-scented tripe and mashed taro. What came was truly confusing.
Some pieces of the steak tip gave my jaw a workout. Their heirloom tomatoes came in large chunks, to which the kitchen thoughtfully applied some grill marks before plating. The Chinese-ness and texture of the stewed tripe felt as alien as a male Wellesley student – a stranger bobbing amidst a sea of otherness.
And the mashed taro. Oh my god. I don’t know what they did to it, to be honest. I usually eat pretty much everything on my plate, even if it’s not very good. (Like bags of stale popcorn.) I left 95% of that thing on my plate.
The main issue with Umami is that it doesn’t deliver on the flavors the menu promises. If executed right, they would have some really interesting food, a more Japanese and ambitious Myers + Chang, say.
I’m predisposed to the concept – I love Asian food, particularly anything that aims to make it more creative and upscale. But with dishes like the steak tips with tripe, it points to the problems with innovating versus executing. What sounds good on paper doesn’t taste so good on the plate. And so it should be back to the cutting board.
I didn’t get the see the inside, but the outside seating was lovely.
The table next to us were some senior citizens chatting with the next table down about how great dinner was. My dining partner and I looked at each other with a kind of ferocity of disagreement. It had been a tense weekend, I remember, and our mutual feelings about dinner seemed to be a leveling ground. And to be honest, I felt embarrassed. I couldn’t fault Umami for their earnestness, but there’s a lot of work to do.
Related posts:
I’ve never disagreed with a review as strongly as yours. Not only did I enjoy the steak tips (which is unusual in this part of the country – new england boasts the worst red meat in the civilized world – is there anything worse than the capital grill?), but I’ve also become a return customer. I suggest you try the steak au poivre (sp?), the red curry duck, or one of the other stellar plates I’ve enjoyed at this truly delightful little find of a restaurant.
Posted by neil | September 30, 2010, 10:28 amI agree with Neil, your review is way off the mark. The “appetizer” that you dissed was actually a starter, as in, instead of bread. We have been here 3 times and not only love the service, mixed drinks, but also the great mix of flavors. Plus the prices can’t be beat! I highly recommend the coconut shrimp, the steak tips, the steak au poivre, and the lamb chops. Pure deliciousness; we’re so happy to have them in the neighborhood.
Posted by Nicole | October 1, 2010, 10:40 amHey “neil” and “Nicole”: The close proximity and similar tone of your reviews, plus the unbridled, indignant positivity of your comments make them sound like comments planted by the management.
It’s fine for other people to have varying opinions. But those steak tips were genuinely unchewable and the starter (I did know it was not an ordered appetizer) was a strange, unsatisfying stand in for bread.
Posted by Lingbo Li | October 4, 2010, 1:00 pmWell Lingbo, you managed to be wrong twice. No one “planted” me my dear. My point about the tips was that I can’t find an agreeable steak outside of the midwest. But getting past that, I like what they’ve done in terms of flavor.
If I sound a little passionate (to the point that you would ACCUSE me of being paid off), it’s because you have insulted my taste. So, in answer to your rudeness…go suck an egg.
Posted by neil | October 4, 2010, 1:19 pmHi Neil,
Nothing I wrote in my response stooped anything to the level of “go suck an egg.”
I think my response to your comment was fair, but I do apologize if I came to the wrong conclusions about your motivation for writing.
But I don’t think it’s appropriate – especially on my website – to say something like “go suck an egg” when I’m sure you wouldn’t say the same thing to my face.
Posted by Lingbo Li | October 4, 2010, 2:35 pmMy wife and I had dinner here. The food was absolutely great and the service matched it. We had lamb and steak tips; both were very, very good. The apperizers, shrimp abd squash soup were also good. I loved durian custard for desert; one does not see it in local restaurants often (in fact, this is the first time I tried it). The price of our most expensive plate was $16. The style of the inside sitting is simple and elegant.
Definitely will return there, no doubts about it.
Posted by Isaac | October 13, 2010, 5:42 pmHello webmaster I like your post ….
Posted by Gay Murnock | January 17, 2011, 2:53 pmI can’t speak to Umami, but have you been to Gari?
Posted by Sam Jackson | February 6, 2011, 7:13 pm