Adam Fleischman has already made a name for himself with his gourmet burger chain Umami, which first opened in January 2009 in Los Angeles and gained huge popularity since then. March 4th was Fleishman’s soft opening for a new flagship restaurant at the southern end of downtown L.A.’s Broadway Street called UMAMIcatessan. The restaurant has a modern industrial style interior accented with classic building elements and materials like rusted metal, reclaimed lumber, saddled leather seats. This carnivorous food court has four different eateries, a bar and a coffee shop that all fit in the 170-seat dining hall.
Adam Fleishman is a self-taught chef who has become a successful food and wine entrepreneur. He previously worked in the wine business and was the founder of BottleRock and Vinoteque both of which were wine centered restaurants in Culver City. He then moved on to his next endeavor, Umami Burger. Umami is a Japanese word for describing the pleasant taste and savory taste imparted by glutamate, an amino acid, which naturally occurs in food. It’s a subtle taste but blends well with other flavors to expand and round out your experience while eating. Fleishman has built the entire menu of Umami around this concept to create a sophisticated and carefully chosen selection of exquisite burgers. It is a “fine-dining, fast food experience”.
The opening of UMAMIcatessenhas long been anticipated and their soft opening did not disappoint guests. The restaurant includes five different kitchens: PIGG, where chef Chris Cosentino explores pig preparations from around the world, The Cure, which is inspired by a typical kosher deli that serves up dishes like matzo ball soup and knishes, Spring for Coffee, which brews beverages with beans from Stumptown and Handsome, as well as Donut, that creates fried to order donuts and soft served ice cream. Finally but not least The Back Bar, manned by Adrian Biggs, reinterprets classic cocktails, has a 30 bottles of wine, and craft beers on tap. There is more than enough to satiate anyone with an appetite here. Fleishman calls UMAMIcatessen, “ a playground for chefs and those who love to eat.”
The official grand opening will be in late March. As of now UMAMIcatessen is open for limited service so it might be wise to call ahead.
852 South Broadway (At East 9th Street)
Los Angeles, CA 90014
323-782-8201.