Umami - Guwahati

The food quality has drastically declined over the years. I recently had noodles and a chicken dish besides some starters there. Everything tasted like roadside van chinese. The only saving grace is the service staff at Umami, Vivanta Gauhati. We appreciate our server, Amrit, who is always polite and makes special effort to accommodate our requests. Food: 1

Located on the Guwahati-Shillong highway in the commercial and cultural heart of the capital of Assam, Vivanta Guwahati is an urban retreat designed for global business travellers, adventurers and connoisseurs of the good life. Offering world-class comforts in an environment with a strong local character, our 5 star hotel in Guwahati is uniquely positioned as a gateway to the Seven Sisters (the seven scintillating North East Indian states). Five acres of manicured gardens, betel nut groves and water bodies usher guests into a space awash with motifs that evoke the soul of Assam. The striking entrance to the main building which houses 150 contemporary rooms and suites is modelled after Rang Ghar, the royal amphitheatre of the mighty Ahom dynasty. Design inspiration is further drawn from the cupola (rounded dome) of the Kamakhya Temple, the gamocha handloom reflected in a modern bamboo interweave, Xingkhap patterns in the rooms, a stunning mural of 1008 cascading sacred bells in the grand lobby and marigold motifs across the hotel. Live the lifestyle of modern-day royals while dining at our specialty restaurants serving avant-garde Chinese, Japanese and classic North and South Indian cuisines. Our secret gastronomic weapon is authentic Assamese cuisine which leverages the Brahmaputra River and valley’s exceptional produce, giving guests a taste of the sub-continent’s rarest ingredients and cooking techniques. Entertain important business guests at our elegant Executive Lounge, and post-wrap up, party with Guwahati’s glitterati at Octave, the glamorous bar lounge. A workout at our 24/7 state-of-the-art Fitness Centre followed by a few laps in the outdoor swimming pool and a relaxing treatment at the award-winning Jiva Spa keep you in top form. Our hotel in Guwahati has an independent convention complex that offers the largest banqueting spaces in the Northeast for business and social events. Our Concierge service’s insider knowledge guides you in exploring the best that Assam has to offer. From participating in joyful bihu dance performances on the hotel lawns, shopping for exquisite silk mekhala chadors (the traditional Assamese dress) at the weavers village of Sualkuchi, sunset dinners on the Brahmaputra and tours of Assam’s world-class tea gardens to exploring the UNESCO World Heritage wildlife parks – Kaziranga and Manas – Vivanta Guwahati puts a special spin on your discovery of Assam and the Seven Sisters.

We were served smelly rotten pork Ordered Pork Barbecue Two-way at Umami, Taj Guwahati and I did gave them feedback. I thought, I won't write the review here or anywhere but I puke once I reach home, that change my mind. They sourced their frozen pork from Kolkata and not fresh at all. It was rotten smelly bad meat and spoiled our whole evening celebration at Taj. Never going there again and I suggest not to go there if you don't want to eat smelly rotten pork. Shame! Spoiling the Taj Brand name.

To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about trying this place out. I understand that there are some raving reviews here on Zomato, but sometimes thoses can be deceiving or ostentatious. However, I took a leap of faith and went to Umami with mixed expectations. And now, I can't thank myself enough for having made that choice. And the best part was my mom loved it too. We had a satiating meal with traditional Japanese cuisine. We started off with kanikama maki roll, and moved on with gyoza (Japanese dumplings) and finished off with yakisoba with bulldog sauce (basically they are Japanese style stir fried noodles). And of course we had dessert- Nutella ball. Moreover, I also tried a cocktail called Assam long island white tea. I was the most apprehensive of the sushi,as I have heard many people with their sushi horror stories. Thankfully though, I won't be one of those people. Those maki rolls were amazing. And I couldn't have asked for a better way to start off the meal. Only complaint I had was that they were little too small in size(I wanted to gorge on some more). Next we had vegetarian gyoza, which are nothing but Japanese style dumplings. Those were soft in texture and light in taste and were served warm. The condiments that were served along with them did those dumplings justice. The filling was a naturally sweet yet earthy paste of local beans, and I really digged that unique flavor. Simple yet delightful. For main course,we went for something old school- noodles of course. Well I won't say that those noodles were out of the ordinary or would take you to food heaven, but they were delicious. The quantity was sufficient for two and they were well cooked. However, I did feel that the noodles were a little dry and could use some more of that bulldog sauce. Also, I had this amazing drink called a Assam long island iced white tea, a rendition of our favorite classic LIIT. This drink was so refreshing! And I really liked the white tea accent that was not at well overpowering. And it complimented the rest of the meal really well. Now the only disappointment however, was the dessert. It wasn't bad, but it was too sweet...I mean TOO SWEET. The sweetness overpowered all the other flavors that the desert had, the sesame, the ice cream everything. I sort of regretted ordering that, in fact that was the only regret I had. However, the experience as a whole was a satisfying one and I would not mind going back once a while. Cheers!

This place is very underrated, it offers authentic Chinese and Japanese dishes. I absolutely loved the food. Each and every dish was top notch. The Peking duck is a must. The prices are reasonable compared to Five star standard. Even the staff is very polite and well trained. I'm already looking forward to my next visit here!