Umami Burger has taken over the old Naga Naga Ramen space in Old Town Pasadena and line is already forming out the door for this walk-in only spot. After all, there aren't too many burger joints in Pasadena and Umami is inarguably an upgrade from nearby The Counter.
This location had a very different look than other Umami Burgers I have been to with its all-white interior and decoration and bright lights.
They have all the usual Umami burgers like the truffle burger ($12, pictured above), Port & Stilton, the Hatch burger with green chile, and a vegetarian burger. As an homage to the cooking school a stone's throw away, they have a special burger for this location only named Le Cordon Bleu Burger (created with the help of some people at the school -$13)
Le Cordon Bleu burger is a braised chicken patty stuffed with prosciutto ham, bacon and mornay sauce, and mustard.
It's still rich but I like this as it isn't as heavy as the beef or pork burgers. The burgers at Umami are not cheap and they look small, but they're rich and heavy that one would fill me up plenty.
For something on the side, try their "secret menu" item: cheesy tater tots!
Try them with any of their sauces. From the left: house dressing (similar to thousand island), jalapeño ranch, garlic aioli, diablo (spicy!), and mustard. For the tater tots, the manager's own favorite is a mix of the jalapeno ranch and the diablo sauce.
They also have a full liquor license and a small cocktail menu. I ordered the Brazilian mule ($12) made with Leblon cachaca, orgeat, lime, ginger beer, Tiki bitters. It's a tad sweet for me but it's still refreshing.
Umami Burger locations are also one of the less-than-a-handful of places that carry
Cake Monkey's pies, so make sure you try one. It's a rotating daily selection, and I got to try the blueberry almond pie ($5.50) which you can order a la mode with LA Creamery ice cream ($4 extra). The crust is lovely - thin and crisp and the almond is a nice touch that I've never thought of before.
Umami Burger
49 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 799-8626
umami.com
Disclosure: this meal was hosted
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