Umami Tsunami
Gilgamesh | Empyreum Ward 20 Plot 53
Kae-dama かえだま (extra noodles please!)
The sound of pots and pans moving about swiftly from the kitchen occasionally cut through the murmurs of patrons enjoying their meals with loved ones. I set down my cold glass of Asahi after one or four large gulps and glanced at my date. She laughed, “Easy kid, the food’s not even here yet.” Not too long after, our server reappeared with two enormous bowls of ramen and a tempura platter. My eye’s watered in excitement and our stomachs growled in unison. Me being, well me, I put my face over my bowl, closed my eyes, and inhaled deeply. Strong miso notes and the aromatic oils from the chashu filled my nostrils while my eyeglasses had completely fogged up from the steam.
As the residue faded from my lenses I realized I was no longer in SoHo with my date. I was at a restaurant on Aether called Umami Tsunami.
Upon entering the restaurant I found myself in a cozy waiting room. How thoughtful! If you’re the first to arrive in your party you can wait here for your friends instead of Ishgard’s biting cold. The sounds and scents of a busy kitchen directed my attention to the stairwell leading to the heart of the restaurant.
The use of the Ambient Kitchen Orchestrion Roll is an excellent touch and really adds to the immersion here.
Modern meets classic Kugane. I was greeted by the restaurant’s lovely owner, Faelaris Pyredawn upon reaching the lower-level. Fae was a delight not only on my first visit but even on the visits that came afterward. We exchanged eastern bows and Fae let me know I could take a seat anywhere. Now I didn’t do this immediately as I was still taking in the design of the space.
I was confused in the best way possible.
While I had never been here before, something was very familiar about it. The memories of late nights with friends over a hot bowl of ramen rushed to the front of my mind and I couldn’t help but smile.
Seiza 正座 (proper sitting)
It was simple, inviting, and true to the theme. The use of warm lighting illuminated the lacquered countertops and dark accents in all the right places. In addition to bar seating, Fae created nooks that can fit large groups as well. Some restaurants tend to use these spaces for booth-style seating using leather sofas. Instead, Fae decided to offer floor seating accompanied by lower tables for a more traditional dining experience.
If you’re curious about formal seiza sitting positions, take a look at Japan Guide! When you /groundsit you can /cpose to some of these formal or casual seiza positions while you’re here!
At the base of the stairs, you’ll notice a bard stage that actually fits the space and theme quite well without being too distracting! On one of my visits, I encountered two excellent performers by the name of Allessa Yumishi and Zesstra Amraphel. During my interview with Fae, she informed me that they are two regulars that stop by and play rather frequently. If the stage is empty, you are more than welcome to play something!
After standing awkwardly at the center of the restaurant in a stupor, I finally took a seat at the bar and Fae handed me the menu.
The Menu
There are a few staples here that you can find at Japanese restaurants in real life including some delicious specialties like takoyaki.
When I used to eat in ramen shops with my friends, I learned that you should always try the ramen that is named after the restaurant itself. A self-titled entree or special is typically what the establishment is proudest of serving and can tell you a bit about the place!
I ordered The Uma-Tsuna Special and Fae started on my order right away.
The Uma-Tsuna Special
At Umami Tsunami, your order is crafted with grace and expertise. Fae used various ranger poses to chop the ingredients for my meal right in front of me. After slicing and dicing she walked over to the bubbling broth and placed the ingredients in a large pot. Working in a hot kitchen crafting your best dish is exhausting work so I occasionally spotted Fae using /sweat to cool off while waiting for my meal to finish cooking. She prepped my bowl and brought it over with a nice cold draft “Asabi”. Perfection. It was so good you might say I forgot where I was for a little while!
Fae did an excellent job as a host and kept tabs on all of her customers. She was quite engaging and asked questions to keep the dialogue moving. I spent more time here than I actually anticipated and loved every second of it. It was clear good company was around the night went on even after Fae had closed up shop. As a regular customer, I return for different reasons. The people, the food, perhaps I just want something to drink while I work on The Kweh. If you’re looking for a place to relax with some comfort food and good conversation, Umami Tsunami is absolutely one of my favorite places to go.
Umami Tsunami
Umami Tsunami is a Japanese-themed bar that opened in July 2022. Fae’s main objective was to create a space that was as realistic as possible for her guests.
LEGAIA: What made you decide to open a restaurant instead of using your property as a personal home?
FAE: I had a friend who was a venue owner and kind of introduced me to this side of the game that I wasn't really that aware of. I won a plot in the first Empyreum lottery and was hopping around looking for ideas when the thought of a ramen shop just struck me. The rest is history. Why ramen? Cause I love ramen in real life!
LEGAIA: I love the design choices you made especially the floor seating. Did you reference anything in particular for the design itself?
FAE: I got some inspiration from some google searches, mostly for the booths' slat design, but the cushion seating was original and pretty intuitive for the theme!
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BONUS QUESTION
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BONUS QUESTION
🍜 BONUS QUESTION 🍥 BONUS QUESTION
LEGAIA: When you visit a ramen shop in the real world, what is your perfect order?
FAE: I generally go for the tonkotsu style ramen, extra chashu. Steamed gyoza, if available and a nice, cold beer, on draft, of course!
