Umami Fries Review

Dinkytown’s newest restaurant puts a unique spin on Asian dishes

By Tosin Faseemo

Umami Fries is a brand new Asian-American restaurant located in Dinkytown. The Oklahoma-born franchise specializes in American meals with Asian-inspired spices and toppings. 

Those who attend the University of Minnesota know there is no shortage of places to enjoy Asian cuisine near campus. Num-mi, a Vietnamese restaurant formerly located in Dinkytown, was widely appreciated by the U of M community until it closed late in the fall of 2019. Umami Fries has sprung up in its place, adding to the wide variety of Asian restaurants accessible to UMN students.

The menu initially appears to be centered around meat, but vegetarians can request a substitution, like tofu, on each meal. The options range from tacos, to loaded fry dishes, to burgers served with a side of seasoned fries. There is a wide variety of Asian cultures featured on the menu. Customers have the option of ordering the kimchi burger, which showcases Korean toppings, or curry fries, layered with Indian herbs and spices. The menu also features bubble tea, a drink originating from Taiwan, in several flavors.

Prices at Umami Fries are reasonably low, presumably to cater to student budgets. Nothing on the menu exceeds 12 dollars, including the burger-fry combos. The portions of food are quite generous; customers can expect to leave the restaurant with leftovers.

In addition to being plentiful, the food is also loaded with flavor. The Japanese slaw burger was sweet, with creamy slaw packed onto a beef burger. I was initially confused about the use of such a sweet sauce on a burger, something that is usually considered a savory meal. But as I continued eating, I realized that was the point of the entire restaurant: to make you rethink what you think is possible for food.

You can find Umami Fries at their new location in Dinkytown at 405 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN.