San Antonio’s culinary scene gets a boost with Chef Jason Dady’s Umai Mi reopening on Dec. 10.
SAN ANTONIO — Come Wednesday, San Antonio foodies will have a new option to munch on when visiting the Pearl.
Umai Mi represents the revitalization of Food Network alumnus Chef Jason Dady’s original location of the same name. That restaurant closed down a decade ago, but Dady decided it was time to return to “the dishes he cooked relentlessly at home.”
Especially the bánh mì sandwich.
“The bánh mì represents what I love about cooking, balancing textures, fresh herbs and layering flavors in a way that makes every bite exciting,” Dady said in a press release. “At Umai Mi, it’s not just a menu item, it’s a dish that defines who we are.”
Umai Mi will be housed at the Pearl’s food hall and use bread, herbs, vegetables and meats from the nearby Pullman Market. Also offered on its menu will be coconut Thai curries; a Japanese take on deviled eggs; crispy shrimp rolls; crispy rice salads; and bun bowls with vermicelli noodles, fresh vegetables, peanuts, and customers’ choice of meat, beef or shrimp.
It will also serve bubble tea in taro, matcha or fruit flavors; Thai iced tea; and Japanese soda options. Mochi ice cream and sweet hard-shell ice cream will be available for patrons with a sweet tooth.
Dady, a James Beard semifinalist who has appeared on Food Network, the Cooking Channel and the Travel Channel, has been busy as of late. In recent months he’s opened shaved ice and barbecue spots at the Rock at La Cantera, and last month oversaw the expansion of his Boerne pizza restaurant Tre Pizzeria at San Antonio International Airport.
Umai Mi will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.