I was afraid that after finally moving to California after all these years of dreaming about it, In N Out would lose it's value like when Jamba came to New York. Happily, it's not the case at all and I've been experimenting with the secret menu to create my perfect version: Double Double, Animal Style, Extra Toasted Mustard Bun, Diced Raw Onions & Chiles, Double Lettuce, No Tomatoes. Fries Well Done, Arnold Palmer and a Vanilla/ Strawberry Shake. One thing I found out is that it's best to go off hours so you are guaranteed a hot meal. My last serving was not as hot as I prefer, but still very enjoyable.
Although I've been enjoying my fair share of In N Out Burger, a big highlight was finally eating at the infamous UMAMI burger with the newest location opening up right in my neighborhood. I ordered the classic Umami Burger on my first visit and it didn't disappoint. The burger was ultra tender, incredibly savory, and the parmesean crisp & home made ketchup was fucked up good. Can't really explain the flavor experence. However, my cheezy tots paled in comparison. I should have also kept it classic and ordered the skinny fries. All in all, Umami was true to the reviews Truly Amazing. Best meal in LA so far.
"Umami, heralded by Japanese scientists as the fifth taste (after the basics of sweet, sour, bitter, salty)...I tasted it the Asian way, served with toppings, rubs, and sauces, and a different sort of brilliance emerged. It was deeper, more sensuous, both head-spinning and mind-expanding."
"Salty, sweet, sour, bitter—these four are the flavors we grew up playing with in science class, but umami is not basic to most people's academic understanding of taste. The description of what has been dubbed "the fifth taste" is not so easy. Savory? Meaty? Yes and yes. It has been localized to the reception of glutamate, hence the MSG-dousing so many restaurants employ. The thing is, that road to umami is not only low, it's also (with some attention to detail) unnecessary."
"Adam wanted to recreate that craving he gets for his two favorite burgers: the In-N-Out Double Double, and The Father's Office burger. He began researching all of the foods that have high umami ratings and decided to see what would happen if he started combining them. What he came up with is both delicious and certainly no facsimile of either of his inspirations."
"Adam shows me the meat grinding process. I'm not allowed to know everything, but I do know that flap meat plays a role. His grind is coarse and he hand packs the meat loosely in a form. From there it gets a hearty helping of salt and pepper and then finds a home on an equally seasoned cast iron griddle. While I think it's fair to say that the burger is gourmet, the process falls somewhere between chef and fast food. It lacks flourish, but is executed meticulously."
"All of the condiments are made in house, but the one I am most intrigued by is the Umami processed cheese used on the So Cal Burger (a take on In-N-Out). Gruyere (in this case, Comté) is shredded and mixed with Sherry and some heat. Then it gets a little hit of sodium citrate. The mixture is poured into a sheet pan to stabilize and voilà—homemade American cheese. You'll also find homemade ketchup, relish, chili, and host of others. To be honest, while they are all good, they don't compromise my love the cloying sweetness of a commercial ketchup."
"When I dig into the Umami burger the force of all of the tastes hit me. The meat is well-seasoned and beautifully cooked and packed. The Parmesan is baked into a tuile and the tomato gets a roasting (upping the umami rating apparently). The onions are caramelized, but Umami resists the browning impulse that foils so many grilled onions. The flavors come together as something entirely "burger" and yet something else. There is a complexity to the flavor that makes this burger eat like an original dish. The commercial, mass produced burger legacy of Post-WWII America is absent, yet it's still definitively a burger."
"One of the big reasons Umami maintains a hold on the burgerness of its creation lies in its bun. It's attractive, but not the perfect round like those for-looks-only brioche buns. This one is a Portuguese-style roll so it has a nontraditional sweetness, but the texture is soft, sturdy and satisfying. In fact, the texture is a key component as it's what keeps the burger together. I am able to use my hands all the way through despite the loosely packed meat and multiple condiments."
"Speaking of the meat, it comes from Rocker Brothers Meat & Provision in Inglewood. Adam estimates the fat content at 24 percent, but this isn't the sole explanation for the meat's tastiness. The mixture makes for a bigger flavor and, as we've discussed before, seasoning and proper cooking (high heat) make all the difference."
"When I ask Adam what he is trying to do at Umami his answer comes fast, furious, and audacious: "We're trying to improve upon nature. That's what a burger is doing. It's taking the good things about nature and fitting them in your hand." While Umami's iteration is certainly a reworking of the tastes of a traditional burger, Adam is insistent that he remain loyal to the form. "We're trying to focus on what appeals about burgers in the first place. We're trying to make something you crave." He sounds like someone who is both passionate and committed to food. He sounds like an eater who is, well, serious. No wonder I like his burger."
Yeah, sooooo someone come visit so I can go eat at Umami again.
