Umamicatessen - Only If You Like PIGG

After waiting the usual forever and a half for an Umami burger at its latest opening in downtown, we were lucky enough to be seated in front of the PIGG counter, since the restaurant is shared between three concepts, Umami and PIGG amongst them.

We ordered our favorite from The Lazy Ox, pig ear chicharrones, only to find ourselves crunching on hard, flavorless pieces of blandness. Even the dip didn't bury the fact that this wasn't savory nor innovative. As a point of comparison, the pig ears at Lazy Ox are sliced thickly enough that you get a crunch on the outside and a soft, delicate cartilage layer inside. Texture is perfect and flavor hasn't been fried out of it.

The guys at PIGG were diligently slicing away at slabs of aged pork all night, including a hand-slicing of a gigantic pig leg. We tried some of it, and it was phenomenal. Probably some of the best charcuterie you'll find anywhere and worth the price for the quality.

I can't really say the same about Umami, which was so busy that night that they burned my burger so that it didn't even taste like beef anymore. As huge an Umami fan as I've been for years, this was a major disappointment. I'm looking to be coming back for the PIGG for sure, but I'll hold off on the pig ears or the Umami.