(Foot patrol, also food patrol.)
Yesterday morning, two expeditions involving my feet: first getting a second pair of shoes (I was edgy having only one; a backup seemed like a good idea) and a replacement pair of slippers (the previous excellent UGGs having disintegrated), and then getting a pedicure (foot care being something I can’t manage on my own).
Part 1 took me to the Palo Alto Footwear etc. store, more or less across the street from two relatively recently opened places to eat, both with remarkable names: Sushirrito (at 448 University Ave.) and Umami Burger (at 452, next door)
Sushirrito. Yes, portmanteau name, hybrid food, in the same tradition that brought us the Burger King Whopperrito, reported on here. In both cases, the -rrito piece comes from burrito.
From the company website, which I quote at length because I enjoy the ad copy so much:
Sushirrito® – The original sushi burrito concept
Revolutionizing sushi culture with made-to-order, hand-held sushi burritos in delicious Asian and Latin flavor combinations.
Our Food: We strive to challenge the status quo of sushi restaurants through creativity and innovation of flavors, form, and sourcing.
Catering: Make your next meeting or party a hit. Introducing fast, fresh, filling and eco-friendly sushi…a fresh way to roll!
The Sushi Burrito: Feeling constrained by pricey, time-consuming sit-down sushi restaurants and pre-made options that lacked quality and originality, the sushi burrito was born as a better way to serve sushi and to combine two of the Bay Area’s favorite foods: sushi and burritos.
Sushirrito®, a San Francisco brand, is the world’s first sushi burrito restaurant concept. With five locations in San Francisco and Palo Alto, the restaurant offers fast, fresh, filling and eco-friendly sushi. Sharing our food and concept, while continuing to change the way people perceive and eat quality sushi — that’s what really drives us!
Now with multiple locations serving the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City!
A sampling of sushirritos:
(#1)
Umami Burger. First, on umami in general, from the company’s site, which has managed to amp up the common associations of men and burgers to higher degrees of burger masculinity:
shops in SoCal [the first Umami Burger opened 2009 in LA on La Brea], NoCal, Las Vegas, New York, soon in Japan
What is Umami? We all know sweet, salty, sour and bitter… now say HELLO to UMAMI. The savory, bold and flavorful fifth taste. Umami originated from Japan which is swhy you see a lot of Japanese elements in our restaurants.
Umami is found naturally in many foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, soy ad meat. It can be amplified with time and specific cooking techniques.
This is where our culinary ninjas come in! They take high-quality, naturally umami-rich ingredients and transform them into memorable and craveable taste experiences.
The menu offers burgers, greens, sides, and beverages. The burgers: Umami, Truffle, Throwback, Cali, Sunny Side, K-BBQ, Manly, Hatch, Ahi Tuna, Greenbird, Falafel, Manly Chick. The Manly Burger:
(#2)
The Manly ingredients: house beer-cheddar cheese, bacon lardons, smoked-salt onion strings, Umami ketchup, mustard spread
Now to the local restaurant:
(#3)
One of our most uniquely designed and locally inspired restaurants, Umami Palo Alto on University Avenue features stacked bookshelves, mascot-adorned light fixtures, and community-sourced artwork.
Although the decor is all Norcal, Umami Palo Alto’s menu stays true to our Southern California roots. Craft beers, chef-driven burgers, and unique side options make this restaurant a staple for locals, students, and working professionals alike.
Chef-driven burgers are a nice touch. I envision the chefs cracking their whips over the burgers, driving them to greater heights of meaty taste.
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