A new restaurant called Umami is set to open above Round Corner Cantina in Lawrenceville, in partnership with Derek Burnell, restaurant owner Roger Li confirmed today.
The izakaya, or Japanese pub, will feature, "traditional Japanese dishes using modern techniques and local ingredients. Every dish will have umami flavors," he said.
Mr. Li will start construction this month and he's shooting for an August opening. Though it's part of the Round Corner building, it will have its own entrance at 202 38th St.
Umami will have a sushi bar and an infrared robata or a charcoal binchotan grill. He'll also serve ramen, housemade tofu, gyoza (Japanese dumplings) and other Japanese street food. His drink menu will include sake, cocktails and Japanese whisky.
He found his inspiration for the izakaya while traveling around Japan.
"Izakayas are my favorite places to go out to eat and have a beverage,“ he said. ”After seeing the true izakayas, I was really interested in doing the concept."
Mr. Li left Tamari in Lawrenceville in March to prepare for opening his own restaurant. He had been executive chef since the restaurant opened six years ago. Owner Allen Chen closed this Tamari location the first weekend in May to focus on new projects. Tamari North in Marshall remains open for lunch and dinner.
Mr. Li grew up in Philadelphia, where he worked in his family's restaurants and attended Drexel University for hospitality management, Before moving to Pittsburgh, he worked at Morimoto in Philadelphia. In 2005, he moved to Pittsburgh and opened New Moon on the North Shore. He switched gears when he partnered with Allen Chen and his father, Michael Chen.
Before Mr. Li partnered with Mr. Burnell, Mr. Burnell called the upstairs space the Ballroom for the past few months, where he had periodically served an izakaya-style brunch and held events, with a menu from a different chef. The Ballroom will not be incorporated into the name of the new restaurant.
Melissa McCart: 412-263-1198 or on Twitter @melissamccart.
First Published: May 14, 2015, 4:31 p.m.
