Umamicatessen, an airy, 6,650sqft dining hall that serves food from five high-end eateries, is hoping to help revitalize downtown Los Angeles’s historic Broadway corridor.
In Los Angeles, a city notorious for its sprawling, traffic-clogged landscape, being able to order from five different high-end eateries without moving is a godsend.
Created by restaurateur Adam Fleischman of Umami Burger, Umamicatessen is an airy, 6,650sqft food court tucked in the ground floor of downtown’s historic Orpheum building. With its hanging Edison bulbs, 1960s plywood school chairs, custom light fixtures made out of milk crates and bottles, and reclaimed wood tables from a 1930s distillery, this gourmet dining hall is hoping to help revitalize the historic Broadway corridor by drawing in the hungry hipsters. And its 2 am closing time makes it the perfect stopping off point for downtown barhoppers.
Start with the matzo ball soup from kosher-style deli, the Cure, then go hog wild on crispy pig ears with a side of brainaise (pig’s brain aioli) from pork-focused restaurant, Pigg. Next fill up on the Umami Burger — voted Burger of the Year in 2010 — with its topping of shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, parmesan crisps and umami ketchup. And, for dessert, indulge in the much talked about foie gras and jelly doughnut from & a Donut, a made-to-order doughnut shop.
If you still have room, finish the meal with an espresso shot from Spring for Coffee or try the Bourbon Pig, a bacon fat-washed bourbon cocktail from the Back Bar.
Umamicatessen currently has limited opening hours, with its grand opening slated for April 18.
Caroline Pardilla is the Los Angeles Localite for BBC Travel. She also writes Carolineoncrack.com.