Last week, we headed over to Coventry to visit Umami, a brand new all-you-can-eat buffet, before it opened on Saturday 2nd December. Following a £1 million refurbishment, the stunning restaurant offers over one hundred cross-cultural cuisines.
During our visit, we were seated upstairs and our drinks orders were taken. The drinks menu is hugely varied, with a range of soft drinks, world beers, spirits, a wine list, and a very impressive cocktail menu. We started off with a classic mojito and an espresso martini, both of which arrived very promptly, and were absolutely delicious!
We then headed over to the buffet area, which seems to go on for miles! We started with a light salad from the deli and some sushi from the sushi station, before moving on to the more hearty main meals. We sampled some onion bahjis, vegetable samosas and a series of meat-based dishes, including pop chicken and crispy pork belly,
Umami are brilliant at catering to dietary requirements. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes, and every dish is placed next to a handy card with all of the relevant allergen information.
Our one piece of feedback after the trial night was that there were one or two serving spoons missing from the dishes, and while this was concentrated primarily in the fruit salad section, as someone with a watermelon allergy, cross contamination is something to look out for! The staff were all very accommodating and happy to guide you with allergen information, so we think this is something they will pick up on very quickly.
We went up a third time for a series of Asian dishes, including aubergine and soy sauce, which was a very nice alternative to meat-based dishes, and certainly had a kick to it! The sweet and sour chicken also went down a treat. The Chinese dishes were some of our favourites, particularly the chow mein, which we paired with chips in true cheeky British fashion.
Every time we turned a corner, we stumbled across a whole new section of the buffet we’d totally missed. After about our fourth plate, we thought we’d check out the tables we had not managed to visit, and were horrified to find we had missed an entire carvery, trimmings and all, and an entire pizza table! We’ve thoroughly learned our lesson – next time, explore all of the buffet before devising a plan of action!
While we had to admit defeat in the face of the roast dinner, we were not to be dissuaded from tackling the dessert wall. Umami takes desserts seriously, with a popcorn machine and a giant chocolate fountain! There were huge cubes of jelly, bowls of sweets and a fruit salad station, but we spent our time hovering around the cake stand. The desserts are cut into little bite-sized cubes by the patisserie chefs, meaning you can sample a wide number, and we took that as a challenge!
The fan favourite was the tiramisu, which was rich with espresso, and the creamy strawberry cheesecake. The rich strawberry and chocolate mousses were also deliciously light, which was perfect after such a heavy dinner! The sponges were fluffy, the icing was sweet, and they looked gorgeous – we made several trips to the desserts buffet!
Throughout the night we sampled a wide variety of drinks, including the amaretto sour, which was paired with lemons in a zesty twist, and the strawberry daiquiri with fresh strawberries and lime. The pink gin spritz also went down a treat, and came in an impressively large gin glass.
The restaurant had not officially launched during our visit, and we think they did a great job of running such a tight ship, even on a trial evening! We had an absolutely brilliant time at Umami, and left very satisfied (and full), after rounding off the evening with a glass of prosecco.
Umami World Kitchen prides itself on being ‘a new era in casual dining, born from a rich heritage and a bold vision’.
The restaurant is located on Corporation Street in Coventry, just a stone’s throw away from the Belgrade Theatre, the Transport Museum and the bustle of the city centre. For Brummies looking for a lovely evening out, we hopped on a short train from New Street Station, and after the restaurant was only a fifteen-minute walk away. With a series of restaurants coming soon in Blackpool, Colchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Telford, we can certainly expect to see much more of Umami after such a brilliant opening weekend.
Student, Children and NHS discounts are available, and prices are very reasonable, coming in at around £21 per person (depending on your day of visiting), and allowing you unlimited access to the buffets. Booking is recommended to avoid disappointment, and is available here.
We can’t wait to make a return trip over the coming weeks – hopefully we’ll see you there!
