Umai Savory Hot Dogs
I find it interesting that of all the classic foods America has, hot dogs are an item that is featured at many establishments across the country. A hot dog is well-known and popular, so why aren’t there more places that have them as their main feature? Well… I don’t know… but Umai Savory Hot Dogs is looking to put hot dogs as the main attraction. They have a location in the Arden area and another coming soon to downtown as well.
Umai is a fresh and modern restaurant with an interior that is clean and inviting. The menu is displayed above the counter and shows you everything in a bright and clear way. The number of hot dogs on the menu is impressive. There are so many different combinations of flavors and ingredients that it actually becomes a daunting task to try and nail down the one you want to try.
The hot dogs draw inspiration from all over the world. You’ll find American dogs that evoke the tastes of New York, Chicago, and California as well as Japanese, Thai, and German dogs topped with ingredients connected to those countries. Make sure you read the menu carefully so you know exactly what you’re getting. Strangely enough, I didn’t see a plain ‘ol hot dog with ketchup and mustard on the menu. Go figure!
On my visit to Umai I went for the California Bae. When in Rome, right?! It featured a chicken hot dog with avocado, cucumber, feta cheese, creamy sauce, Umai teriyaki, and white sesame. Sadly, I wasn’t a fan of this hot dog at all. The entire dog was too sweet. I thought the feta really have a savory element, but it was completely masked with sweetness. It may have been the creamy sauce or the teriyaki, but this hot dog was unbalanced in its flavors. The cucumber didn’t do much and the chicken sausage did not have a great taste. The whole thing fell pretty flat for me and this is not something I’d ever order again.
I will, however, give Umai the benefit of the doubt as many of the other combinations could work well. I’ll be back to see what the other dogs have in store for me.
My favorite item by far on my visit were the fries. They were hot and crispy and also loaded with toppings. I had the kimchi fries and was impressed that the fries remained crispy even with a pretty good amount of kimchi and sauce on the top of them.
Noodles were a surprise that I didn’t expect to be on the menu so I had to see what they were like. The truffle noodles intrigued me the most on the menu so I ordered one. The noodles certainly had a truffle flavor to them, but overall they were a bit one-note. This particular dish would have benefited from some chicken or fresh tomatoes to give a bit of contrasting flavors.
Also on the menu are burgers, wings, riblets, and dessert dogs. They have a crazy amount of food here, and all of it looks good! You just have to find the ones that actually hit when it comes to your taste buds.
My initial visit was a bit disappointing, but the menu is so intriguing that I know I’ll be back to have a taste of the rest of what Umai has to offer.
Website: www.umaihotdogs.com
Address: 3045 Arden Way, Ste 200 Sacramento, CA 95825
Rating: C
Looking at all the wild and crazy types of hot dogs on Umai’s menu might be the best part of going there! I’m sure there are some winners on the menu, but you’ll have to make sure you find them when you make your visit.
