Dave K.
Yelp
What a cute neighborhood Thai place! My son is really into Thai food, but we wanted to try some place we had not been. In research, I discovered this entire category of Thai food, of which I was, unaware, namely, Royal Thai food, which apparently was historically served in the monarchy's palace. The distinguishing features of this subset of Thai food include particular attention paid to freshness, balance of flavors, and presentation. Apparently, this cultural gem was created and preserved as a tool of diplomacy, so that dignitaries could be fêted in appropriate style.
While Siam Umami is not strictly limited to Royal Thai food, particular dishes, such as the dumplings, do hold pride of place on the menu. I would also say that the philosophy and precision do play a role in this neighborhood joint.
For appetizers, we had the chor chaba (albacore dumplings), Krathong Tong (crispy cups stuffed with vegetables) and house pickles. The house pickles were the weak link, and definitely can be skipped. The other two apps were just perfect--the chor chaba, which is a rice powder dumpling, has the perfect amount of give and resistance so it was tender without being gummy. Flavor profile was awesome--vibrant, balanced flavors popped without anything being overpowered. The crispy cups were one biters, providing a pleasing pucker of tamarind.
For entrees, we shared the mushroom noodle, the chili glazed branzino, and the stuffed zucchini.
Again, the mushroom noodle dish was unmemorable. The mushroom gravy had no depth of flavor and felt over thickened with cornstarch. The noodles were clumpy, but in defense of the restaurant, we chose the gluten-free rice noodles rather than the egg noodles that the dish normally comes with. I would assume those noodles would not clump in the same way. While it's great that they provide a vegan option like this, the dish really needs some attention paid to it so that it matches the overall high quality of the other items.
The branzino was gorgeous. The fish was cooked through but not dry, the chili glaze balanced, sweet and heat, giving a richness to the lean fish. A definite winner.
Tofu, vegetable, and potato stuffed zucchini, halves were robed in a mesh omelette that stole the show of the evening for the best presentation. Very elegant, it was served with a side of a mint, dipping sauce, that we all thought was reminiscent of a traditional Indian mint chutney. The zucchini was cooked through while still having some structure to it. The flavor of the stuffing itself was on the milder side, so the mint chutney definitely helped add some intensity from a dish that otherwise verged on blandness.
Our server, meanwhile, effectively managed the entire front of the house on his own. That meant he was responsible for serving, busing, all while handling bartender duties. We ordered two drinks, one, a non-alcoholic, coconut and salted caramel iced tea, the other was also a rich, salted caramel rum drink that was dangerously addictive. Both were spot on; our server maintained his cool, even as he worked quickly and efficiently to provide an enjoyable experience for the diners.
I very much appreciate this restaurant's mission and focus. Chef Tong has created a stellar neighborhood restaurant offering well executed Thai food that doesn't fall into the clichéd offerings of most places in town. That will be a benefit or deficit to your experience, based on whether you are expecting--tried, and true American Thai food offerings, or if you are open to something different. We were pleasantly pleased, and towards the end of the meal, we asked our server how often the menu changes. We were told that, while some items remain throughout the year, that there are seasonal changes about four times a year. We will be back to sample the autumn menu.