UMAMI: A journey of flavor
Embarking on a nostalgic journey, we've kicked off the new year with the revival of one of our oldest concepts: Umami.
The Birth of Umami in 2013
Umami was introduced to the Twin Cities in 2013. At that time, we were working on building a new home for Travail and wanted to find a way to keep our staff working, generate some income, stay sharp and on our game, and explore the amazing flavors of Asian street food. We found a space in North Minneapolis, off Broadway and Lyndale, and met with the city council and officials to temporarily take over a recently closed Chicken spot next to Little Caesars. So many people contributed to making this a reality: our staff loaded Travail kitchen equipment from a storage unit into UHauls and borrowed trucks, assembling a fully functional kitchen. We were building tables, hauling chairs, and painting walls. Mike Brown, a devoted Craigslist and Facebook marketplace lover, was sourcing as many lamps as possible for some nice ambient lighting. Our longtime regulars were lending us artwork for their collections to hang up on the walls. It was truly an effort from everyone in our orbit.
Milestones and Memories at umami
This space witnessed significant milestones for Travail, including the launch of our Kickstarter campaign while Umami was coming to life, the first Sexy Calendar shoot, and the introduction of selling tickets to dinner seatings (just two weeks at a time), which was the first time anyone had done that in Minnesota.
Side Note: We would go on to adopt this model shortly after Travail 2.0 opened, which was met with a lot of apprehension.
- From Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, February 15, 2013 -
“Will Minnesota tolerate tickets and surge-pricing for the fine dining Travail experience? Something tells me that anyone who was willing to stand outside for two hours in the cold will be just as willing to buy a ticket for a birthday two months out. But this much is sure: The most experimental restaurant in Minnesota just got a whole lot more experimental, and every restaurant owner in town will be watching for the results.”
Breaking Barriers: The Travail Experience
We continued our longstanding vision of breaking down the barriers between guests and the kitchen. For Travail to truly be Travail, we invite guests to actively participate and immerse themselves in our culinary world, which is the show. We’ve been doing this since 2010, and it remains our goal. We all, as craftspeople and technicians of the trade, contribute to the immersive experience. In our perspective, the kitchen isn’t merely part of the restaurant; the kitchen *is* the restaurant.
Umami embraced these concepts by maintaining the use of our long communal tables (still got ‘em!). It’s an invitation to get to know your neighbors, celebrate together, and indulge in the joy of singing karaoke and enjoying sake bomb shots. But let’s not forget about the food. We focused on fresh flavors and a genuine celebration of the Umami taste. Co-founder James Winberg is always searching for the perfect Umami in every bite.
what the heck is Umami?
Umami is considered the fifth taste, following its counterparts — Sweet, Salty, Sour, and Bitter. It represents the epitome of savoriness, evoking a sensation where your mouth and tongue feel coated, and your mouth begins to water. Imagine eating a piece of parmesan cheese, your mouth almost has an overwhelming round sensation to it.
A Japanese term, Umami translates to "tasty," "deliciousness," and "savory." Umami is commonly found in things like meats, slow-cooked broths (dashi), fermented foods, aged meats, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions. This distinctive taste originates from a naturally occurring amino acid known as Glutamate.
You might be familiar with the century-old commercialized version of Umami: Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG. Exploring the discourse around MSG in food history is eye-opening and interesting. Contrary to what some "scholars" have claimed, MSG is not harmful. So, there's no need to be wary of it. Even Martha Stewart says to eat it.
Umami Across Three Locations
The food served at all our Umami iterations continues to be a celebration of the things we love to eat that are packed full of Umami delights: black garlic dumplings, takoyaki, fermented cabbages and pickles, and miso-rich foods. While we've experienced Umami in three different locations, there's a unique charm to having Umami in our permanent home in Robbinsdale.
Celebrate Umami at Travail
Join us in celebrating all things Umami, all things Travail, and most importantly, you. Revel in the unique experience and be prepared for a memorable celebration. Oh, and have a karaoke song in mind, just in case the microphones make an appearance.
Reserve your seats today! Umami - in the Basement Bar runs through March 30th.
Psst: If you have any photos or memories from old Umami, please share them with us at info@travailkitchen.com. We fully understand that cell phone camera technology in 2013 was lackluster.
