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Umami Ave – Ave Maria Sun
Umami Ave Brings Southeast Asian Flavors to Ave Maria
Umami menu now available in Ave Maria, FL – Facebook
Reviews
This is an Asian fusion restaurant that primarily serves Vietnamese dishes, though select sushi rolls are advertised on the weekends.
The staff was very kind, but as one would expect, they are still very new. They are learning their system and cadence, and with how busy they have been, minor mistakes are slipping through. They are essentially getting a crash course in serving, so I hope everyone can extend some patience as they navigate this grand opening phase.
The Food
We ordered three dishes: Beef Pho, Spring Rolls, and the Banh Mi.
• Spring Rolls: The starter was good and the peanut sauce was tasty. However, it felt like they could’ve packed a few more veggies into the rice paper, as it seemed a bit loose. I also would have preferred fewer (or no) carrots in the peanut sauce.
• Banh Mi: This was also good. The pork was marinated, tender, and really flavorful. The French bread was fresh and rounded out the sandwich, though I felt there could have been more meat or veggies to improve the “bread-to-topping” ratio. It would be great to have a “double meat” upgrade option in the future. The pork was definitely the star of the dish.
• Beef Pho: The broth was light yet maintained that traditional taste, and the beef was soft and tender. The small size is plenty for most people, especially if you order an appetizer. My only issue was that the dish wasn’t accompanied by the usual veggie plate (bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, lime, and chiles). The owner explained that their vendor hadn’t delivered on time, so they had to serve without them for the time being. While disappointing, it wasn’t a deal-breaker.
Drinks
We also ordered the Thai tea. They serve it with boba, which is a bit different, but it tasted great! Some places make the tea too sweet, but this was perfect.
Final Thoughts
Had this been an established place, I might have given them 4 stars, but I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and start them at 5. I truly believe that once the staff is fully trained and their supplies are consistently in stock, this could be one of the best places to eat in town.
We will definitely be back!
I have come back three other times, and each time, the service was above expectations and the food was great—can’t find any authentic vietnamese cuisine around here.
I have read other negative reviews, and I’m not quite sure what they are talking about. Every dish felt enough—I never felt like the portions were small or insufficient. I got my thai basil, bean sprouts, and jalapeño/lime; I asked for more lime, and I got it. Tammy and Jason are first time restaurant owners—all I expect from any restaurant is hospitality, good food, and a good environment—I got all of that at Umami.
If anyone is thinking of leaving a negative review, please consider how hurtful it can be to a small business like Umami. I have personally spoken with both owners, and not only are they kind, they understand what it takes to run a restaurant—tireless effort is why this restaurant deserves 5 stars. They take feedback seriously; that is all anyone can ask for from any restaurant owner. Before writing a negative review, ask yourself, do you actually know what good food is or do you feel entitled to leaving a negative review to boost your limited palette ego?
What I ordered: spring rolls, cream cheese wontons, egg rolls, grilled chicken w/ vermicelli noodles, beef pho, and shaking beef. I loved each and every dish, and what I loved most was the hospitality this restaurant puts out—truly a hidden gem.
Stopped by Umami on a Monday around 1 PM with my sister and daughter. The space is small but clean and cozy, and we were greeted and seated right away. Service was great — our waitress checked in on us often and was very attentive.
We ordered the crispy cream cheese wontons, spring rolls, grilled steak banh mi, and Thai iced tea. The wontons were fresh and delicious, especially with the tangy dipping sauce. The banh mi was also very good — fresh ingredients and flavorful, though the steak could’ve been cut into smaller pieces. The Thai iced tea wasn’t as sweet as I usually like, but still good.
The spring rolls were the only dish that fell short for me — they lacked flavor, and the shrimp was pretty bland even with the peanut sauce.
Overall, I’d definitely come back and try more items (just probably not the spring rolls ).
I personally don’t think it’s worth $17 compared to other places I’ve been to. Plus the drinks were way too pricey.
Another thing I noticed was the way the manager (or owner) treated the employees. I get they’re busy and overwhelmed but they forget the customers can hear the way she treats them.