Umami Burger Opens First International Location In Tokyo

Japanese-Influenced Gourmet Burger Concept Expands Back to its Roots

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Mar 24, 2017, 09:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, March 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its global growth plan, sbe-owned Umami Burger makes its first move overseas to Japan with the opening of Umami Tokyo on March 24, 2017. The launch of Umami Tokyo is in partnership with Japanese-based Medeiros Holdings Co., Ltd., with which the gourmet burger brand has plans to deploy 10 more locations across Japan by 2020. Enthusiastic to take Umami Burger worldwide, and to where the "fifth sense" was first discovered, Founder and CEO of sbe, Umami Burger's majority shareholder, Sam Nazarian states, "Umami Burger has taken America by storm, and we knew we would inevitably take Umami Burger international – specifically to Japan – given the culture's influence on the Umami Burger brand."

sbe-owned Umami Burger makes its first move overseas to Japan with the opening of Umami Tokyo.

As with all Umami Burger locations, the Umami Tokyo experience is distinctly unique and authentic to the destination. In addition to Umami Burger favorites such as the original Umami Burger with Parmesan frico, shiitake mushroom, roasted tomato, caramelized onions and Umami ketchup; the Manly Burger with a house beer-cheddar cheese, bacon lardons, smoked-salt onion strings, Umami ketchup and mustard spread; and the Truffle Burger with truffled aioli, house truffle cheese and truffle glaze, Chief Operating Officer Gregg Frazer has created menu items exclusive to Umami Tokyo including the Fish Curry Burger, a seasoned cod patty with curry aioli, slaw mix, butter lettuce and homemade tartar sauce, and the Teriyaki Burger, an all-beef patty with Wasabi aioli, pickled red onion, tempura lotus root, cabbage and horseradish.

Specializing in more than just its menu, Umami Tokyo continues the Umami brand legacy of carefully crafted interior and exterior design. The nearly 1,900-square-foot space incorporates touchpoints true to the destination such as bonsai trees and oak-finished cabinets while maintaining Umami Burger's signature bright, dynamic, orange-and-black branding. Accommodating approximately 70 guests, the contemporary space exudes a relaxed, inviting environment with a full-service bar at the epicenter of the space.

Umami Burger first rose to notoriety when it was dubbed "Burger of the Year" by GQ in 2010, and it has continued to garner national accolades ever since. In 2015, Umami Burger's Manly Burger was named among the "25 Best Burgers in America" by Men's Journal. The company has also been recognized among the "25 Most Innovative Consumer Brands of 2016" by Forbes' CircleUp25 and called one of the "Best Burger Chains in Chicago" by Chicago Tribune. Most recently, Umami Burger launched its newest Artist Series collaboration with Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. The limited-edition Cindy's Casa Burger and Rande's Spicy Margarita are available at participating Umami Burger locations in the USA with a portion of the proceeds benefiting American Family Children's Hospital. With further exciting developments, also in the pipeline for early 2017 is a new location in New York City and the unveiling of the redesigned Umami Burger at The Grove in Los Angeles.

Umami Tokyo is located at 3-15-5 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo in one of the most sought-after districts on Tokyo's west side and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information on Umami Burger, visit umamiburger.com or follow @umamiburger or #umamiburger on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Umami Burger:
Founded in Los Angeles in 2009, Umami Burger has been named GQ's "Burger of the Year," Men's Journal's "Best Burger in America" and one of the "25 Most Innovative Consumer Brands of 2016" by Forbes' CircleUp25. Currently, Umami Burger has 24 restaurants in California, New York, Illinois and Nevada with additional locations planned around the world, including 10 locations in Japan. sbe, the Los Angeles-based leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hospitality venues, is Umami Burger's majority shareholder. For more information on Umami Burger, please visit umamiburger.com or follow @umamiburger or #umamiburger on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About sbe:
Established in 2002 by Founder and CEO Sam Nazarian, sbe is a privately-held, leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hotels, residences, restaurants and nightclubs. Through exclusive partnerships with cultural visionaries, sbe is devoted to creating extraordinary experiences through its proprietary brands with a commitment to authenticity, sophistication, mastery and innovation. Following the acquisition of Morgans Hotel Group, the pioneer of boutique lifestyle hotels, sbe has an unparalleled global portfolio featuring 23 world-class lifestyle hotel properties in 9 attractive gateway markets and more than 136 global world-renowned hotel, entertainment and food & beverage outlets. The company is uniquely positioned to offer a complete lifestyle experience – from nightlife, food & beverage and entertainment to hotels and residences, and through its innovative customer loyalty and rewards program, The Code, as well as its award-winning international real estate development subsidiary, Dakota Development – all of which solidify sbe as the preeminent leader across hospitality. sbe will continue its expansion with 13 hotel properties opening in the next two years (some with residences), including the SLS Park Avenue, SLS Seattle, Mondrian Doha and Mondrian Dubai. The company's established upscale hotel brands include SLS Hotel & Residences, Delano, Mondrian, Redbury, Hyde Hotel & Residences, Clift, Hudson, Morgans, Royalton, Sanderson and St Martins Lane. In addition, sbe has the following international acclaimed restaurants and lounges: Katsuya, Cleo, The Bazaar by José Andrés, Fi'lia by Michael Schwartz, Umami Burger, Hyde Lounge and Skybar. More information about sbe can be obtained at sbe.com or by downloading the sbe App.

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