Often times we find mainstream hot dogs and burgers in various malls, however in this instance we found one with an asian twist sharing many delicacy features of different cultures.
While they have several locations in San Jose, San Francisco, and in Southern California, we got to visit the cozy shop inside the Westfield Topanga Mall of Canoga Park. Let’s jump in!
Since starting out as a hot dog cart in San Jose in 1992, they’ve stayed committed to sourcing only the best sausages, buns, and ingredients to their customers. While maintaining this level of quality, Umai Hot Dogs now have over 27+ combinations to choose from. Rest assured, your cravings and appetites will always be satisfied with many creative options to choose from.
I had the pleasure of taking 3 friends here who aren’t always exposed to Asian food and we had the following; the Umai Truffle Dog, Honolulu Bang Bang, New York Buffalo Wings and Kimchi Fries.
The hot dogs in their variations come in a really good sized portion that definitely filled my stomach up! Especially when it came to the Umai, the combination of the truffle mushrooms, the beefy hotdog, furikake seasoning and the truffle aioli (plus more) all complimented super well with each other that each shared their own unique savory taste.
Surprisingly, it didn’t overbear each of their savory traits as you were able to distinctively tell what was in your bite. The Honolulu Bang Bang is a must for those who love pineapples on almost anything. Yes that includes pizza!
The Kimchi Fries upon first impression worried me since Kimchi, for me, has always been eaten as a stand alone item or with meat. Fortunately, I can safely say that it paired nicely along with some heavenly sauce and stood out the most because of how well the flavors twisted amongst each other.
That being said, the never ending battle between bitter and savory somehow always finds an agreement amongst our tastebuds. It’s also worth noting that this was shared between 3 people, so the portion is definitely filling and shareable.
Now let’s measure real quick; me who loves spicy food but to some extent, a person who always eats spicy food and has dined in on numerous spicy Mexican dishes, and lastly an individual who hardly eats spicy food. How much of a kick did the NY Buffalo Wings have?
For me, a lot. I need water after each bite. For the second person, he didn’t break a sweat but did notice the aftertaste heat. Finally, the last person almost died. Figuratively of course. Take this information how you will when you’re thinking about dining on those tender wings.
Would I come back? Heck yeah, and definitely with more friends to help chow down on more of this amazing Asian fusion food! The food here is perfect for sharing due to the size of the portions provided.
It’s perfect for introducing people into asian food and perfect for those quick eats where you just need that last-minute good grub. Check them out on Instagram and visit their website.
