Umu
Japanese Restaurant
Answers to Your Umami Questions
If you’re in search of the ‘mysterious’ taste of umami, a successful trail might lead you to Umu, a restaurant on a discreet corner of Bluton Place close to Bond Street, a place where the umami experience is guaranteed. Umu is a Japanese restaurant specialising in ‘Kyo-Kaiseki’ and despite having opened just last September, it has already acquired its first Michelin Star. Kyo-Kaiseki is the haute cuisine that developed during the Heian Period (794-1185) in the imperial city of Kyoto, a time and place that brought forth a culture of grand splendour. A Kyo-Kaiseki meal consists of approximately ten-courses ranging from small hors d’oeuvres through to dessert and demands the use of absolutely the finest raw ingredients available and great attention to detail with regards to presentation. In fact, many would call Kyo-Kaiseki the utmost pinnacle of Japanese cuisine. The crucial element of the Kyo-Kaiseki menu is ultimately, the ‘dashi’ or Japanese stock it uses. It is commonly said that the masterful touch of the chef shines through in this dashi as it is made entirely from just three simple ingredients; kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and pure spring water. It is held that the soup recipes brought to life by the dashi, as well as by chef’s ‘magic touch’, are the essential element of Kyo-Kaiseki cuisine. In order to ensure the true flavour and authentic essence of its dashi, Umu use Rishiri kombu (Rishiri kelp) – one of the highest quality kelp from Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and freshly shaven katsuobushi (bonito flakes) - which give by far and away the best aroma. Furthermore, the restaurant goes to great length of flying in soft water specifically for the preparation of dashi. The ingredients added to their soups include red snapper-fish cakes and seasonal vegetables such as oyster mushrooms, bamboo shoots or runner beans, etc. As you might imagine, vital seasonal ingredients and seasonings are also imported by air. Despite the pure transparency of Umu’s soup, it has the deep, rich savoury taste known as ‘umami’. While the soup’s flavour is ‘clean’, it imparts long-lasting rich reverberations. For those looking to experience umami for the first time, this soup will be a delightful discovery so if you’re wondering ‘what is dashi?’ or ‘what is the very best dashi?’ or even ‘what is this umami that’s said to be so essential to Japanese food?’ - Umu holds all the answers! Umu
14-16 Bruton Place, London W1J 6LX, UK
+44-(0)20-7499-8881
| |
