December, the busiest month for all Filipinos. The Christmas breeze gives everyone the work to get busy – preparations for noche buena, gift shopping, Christmas parties and more. I wanted to disagree with this fact but the busy-ness is chasing me, especially at work. I couldn’t escape the trend of being busy during this month. At work, I usually look forward to dinner to enjoy a good and relaxing dinner after a loaded day in the office.

One of the busiest days swung by. I thank God for planning my schedule perfectly by arranging my dinner at Umami Hambaagu House, the same day I was so stressed at work. (Indeed, God’s timing is always perfect.)

I didn’t know where Umami Hambaagu House was, since you couldn’t find it in the internet at that time. The marketing style seemed to be mysterious, it’s like playing hide & seek for me. I had to text the owner to ask where I could find Umami Hambaagu House. Fortunately, it wasn’t far from where I am working. The location is accessible and not troubling to find. Don’t you worry, you will find out later where this Japanese burger place is.

Umami Hambaagu House specializes on Japanese burger steaks – a choice of pork/beef or chicken patty. At first, I didn’t have an idea on what’s the big difference between Japanese burgers and regular American style burgers. They all looked the same to me until it came to the point of tasting them.

When our set of Umami burgers were served, I instantly remembered Yabu’s Katsu set on the table. The set-up is quite similar, together with a serving of unlimited cabbage and sesame dressing. Every order of Umami Hambaagu set, expect a small plate of edamame, Japanese rice, thickly-sliced fries, unlimited cabbage and your choice of Japanese burger.

Initially, beef patty was my first choice. However, they were out of stock when I visited. 🙁 I had to bear with their chicken patty, which was not a problem at all. On top of our chicken burger, the smooth rich taste of goose liver a.k.a. foie gras delighted our appetites that evening. No wonder the price was beyond my budget. Foie gras is to blame.

Without the rice, the cabbage and burger alone are already companions in my tummy. The duet between the two of them can already satisfy.

Overflowing with its fragrant truffle cream sauce, it is not a mistake to order this kind of flavor. I was already contented with this order and Spirited Away that night. Although I would still be game for trying other Umami burgers since there are more options standing by for me to try. It was actually difficult to pick which type of Umami burger to get. Their menu will drive you nuts, make you undecided on which one to order.

Oliver got his tall glass of Chocolate and Oreos. The taste defined its title, a blend of chocolate and small chunks of oreos in one tall glass. It’s a dessert and beverage in one glass.

The only reason why I placed this on my order, two words, Almond Roca! I was curious to taste a drink with Almond Roca in it. I’m a fan of Almond Roca as a dessert snack and it is a good opportunity to pair my burger with a glass of an Almond Roca drink. One word, Divine! The smoothness of the chocolate drink combined with Almond Roca pieces on top makes it divine indeed.

On a sad note, the dessert part didn’t make me smile. The dessert I initially wanted to order was not available. 🙁 That was their Tiramisu. I had to end the night with Nutella Crepe Cake that didn’t taste like Nutella for me.

The place looks like a kindergarten room made for adults. Its interiors were Japanese anime inspired, showcasing Japanese cartoons and funny Japanese pranks on their TV screens. A child-friendly environment suitable for families.

The small yet colorful Umami Hambaagu House brought back the child in me. I was attracted to its colors and cute kiddie designs.

Children will nonetheless love the toys they can play with.

Search for the newest Japanese burger place in Pasig City. You wouldn’t want to miss the chance to try this new place before everyone else raves about it.

Cheers,

Food	9/10
Ambiance	9/10
Service	9/10
Cost	7/10
Overall	8.5/10