March 22--What do you get when a scientific-minded food star teams up with a restaurant chain dedicated to maximizing the savoriness of each burger it sells? That's right, you have the new Alton Brown Burger at Umami Burger.
Named for the Japanese word for savory, Umami Burger deliberately picks out foods that pack in umami -- like anchovies, Parmesan cheese and mushrooms -- to top each burger, making each bite taste even meatier than it normally would.
Brown's burger is no different. Looking to a classic Southern breakfast for inspiration, his burger features a beef patty mixed with bacon lardons and then topped with cheddar cheese, smashed cheesy tots, two strips of miso-maple bacon, a fried egg, fried sage and a house-made coffee ketchup. For a final flourish, a knife is plunged into the burger, unleashing the runny yolk.
Is it absurd? Of course! Every single burger at Umami Burger strives for absurdity, and Alton's burger is no different. Thanks to the runny egg yolk, it's also an extravagant mess, sure to require a handful of napkins. Each bite is also rich and extra savory, and I particularly liked the crunch from the cheesy tots. I could have used a bit more acid from the ketchup, but that's easy enough to rectify by adding some of Umami Burger's excellent truffle ketchup on top.
The Alton burger will be available until April 24, so you still have plenty of time to try one out. Plus, a dollar from each one sold will be donated to The Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Umami Burger, 1480 N Milwaukee Ave., 773-423-2005, umamiburger.com
nkindelsperger@tribpub.com
Twitter @nickdk
