GO+DO Good eats
As the days get cooler and the
nights longer, it's tempting to linger on
Umami Ramen & Dumpling Bar's outdoor patio, perched above Willy Street.
But then you'd be missing the chance to
dine in an intriguing Madison space.
Friends Michael Ding and Randy Ng,
who share a New York City upbringing
and their Chinese heritage, traveled to
ramen shops in Japan, Taiwan and New
York to savor the food and the scene.
Bringing those experiences to Madison,
they opened Umami just two years ago,
transforming an 1880s blacksmith shop
into the city's long-awaited ramen restaurant.
Umami's sleek, illuminated bar is intimate, hemmed in by cozy banquettes
and alluring wallpaper. Front "rooms"
are perfect for larger parties.
Continued on p. 86
78
brava magazine | september 2013
Photographed by Mandie Haberman (TOP LEFT) AND AMBER ARNOLD
Umami
Ramen & Dumpling Bar