Last Thursday, I went to King Phojanakong’s new Brooklyn restaurant for a friends and family night to try some of King’s new dishes before it officially opens to the public. Occupying a space that was previously a laundromat, the restaurant is hidden amongst small local Mexican eateries and modest neighborhood bodegas. You have to be willing to walk a little further (up the stairs in the case of , or on the subway for Umi Nom) to get a taste of King’s food, which takes a tapas-style approach to dining, but it’s worth the few extra steps.
Umi Nom is a long, narrow restaurant, with a dark wood bar, exposed brick walls, and Edison light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Some of the Asian-themed design accents in the restaurant include the funky bamboo lighting above the bar and white ceramic wall decorations with small dotted lights running through what resembled the cross-section of bamboo.
There’s a lot of soul in every bite of each flavorful small plate. Drawing inspiration from his Filipino and Thai roots, King’s food celebrates the notion of family, which he shares with us through his cooking. Our table was near the back of the restaurant, giving us a premium location to sneak a peek into the kitchen, where I could catch a glimpse of King’s family hanging out beside him and tasting some of the dishes themselves, looking on as the chefs with bandannas prepped and cooked away.
Here’s a preview of what’s cooking at Umi Nom:
asian market greens sauteed greens & garlic were cooked in a wok under extreme heat for a short amount of time, so they were not oily, but rather crispy, garlicky, and smoky
wok prawns chili glazed were saucy and slightly piquant from the birds eye chili. Be sure not to waste the shrimp head, slurp up those shrimp brain juices!
grilled mackerel toasted rice, cherry tomato, jicama, garlic-chili lime dressing had a crispy, charred skin and that delicious fishy mackerel taste. Overall the dish could have used a bit more tartness, although I did enjoy the crunchy jicama. Perhaps the mysteriously missing toasted rice would have added more to the dish.
bahay kubo fried rice stir fried rice, egg, soy, garlic was one of my favorites. I’m not sure which ingredient gave the fried rice a sucker punch of umami, but I would gladly eat it again. The fried rice was salty, shrimpy, and had pieces of Chinese sausage which added a sweet component to the dish.
charred beef rice vermicelli cold rice sticks, herbs, cucumbers are a nice combo of medium rare steak and rice noodles, with crunchy mung beans and herbs. This lighter dish counterbalanced the heavier meaty dishes.
sauteed chinese sausage thai chili-lime sauce is King’s specialty and is the only dish served at both Kuma Inn and Umi Nom..because it’s SO GOOD. Unlike the Chinese sausage usually found in Chinatown, which is skinnier, sweeter, and more dense, this meaty sausage has a more subtle sweetness. Stir fried with shallots and garlic, then dipped in the Thai chili-lime sauce, the sweet, salty, and tart come together beautifully. The sticky rice on the right is really sticky and really good.
grilled pork chops pickled vegetables were exquisitely juicy and tender. The dish had a good ratio of meat to pickle.
crimini mushroom tofu skewers scallions lacked a little something, but it was still pretty good. I’m a bit partial since I’m a big meatlover.
shitake mushrooms soy mirin glaze consisted of sweet and meaty mushrooms swimming in soy mirin sauce.
(sorry, this photo came out really dark and unrecognizable!) bbq ribs garlic, ginger, lemongrass, oyster sauce marinade were cut into small easy-to-manage riblettes. Nice and juicy with a crispy, charred crust.
chilled summer fruit soup consisted of watermelon and canteloupe balls, lychee, and plums in a sweet, chilled lemongrass soup. A light and sweet conclusion to my dinner at Umi Nom.
Umi Nom
433 DeKalb Ave between Classon Ave and Taaffe Place
Brooklyn, NY
718-789-8806
