Umami Burger to Open in Hermosa Beach

Editor's Note: This article was updated Tuesday at 2:55 p.m. with a quote from the restaurant's founder and tentative time period for opening.

Umami Burger on Tuesday morning tweeted and Facebooked news that it soon will launch a new location in Hermosa Beach, bringing "a new burger concept" to town.

Hermosa Beach Patch contacted the restaurant group in September to confirm rumors that it was going to expand to the Beach Cities. At the time the response was "we may open there, but nothing has been finalized."

Now Eater LA has reported that Umami not only will open a new restaurant downtown at 1040 Hermosa Ave., but the location also will be its first two-story venue.

The restaurant group said in a statement sent to Patch on Tuesday afternoon that it plans to open its Hermosa Beach location by the end of the year and a Laguna Beach location early next year.

"Thanks to our fans in South Bay and Orange County, you will soon be able to enjoy an ocean view with your Umami Burger," said Adam Fleischman, founder and CEO of Umami Burger, in the statement. "A delicious burger with a cold beer is the perfect way to end a day at the beach."

There are six Umami locations currently open in California, according to the restaurant's website: Umami La Brea, (in Hollywood), Umami Los Feliz, , (in Studio City), and Umami Union (in San Francisco).

"Umami" derives from the Japanese word meaning a fifth taste, "describing the pleasant and savory taste imparted by glutamate, a type of amino acid, and ribonucleotides that occur naturally in foods," according to a note from Fleischman on the restaurant's website.

As a result, the restaurant's menu of gourmet burgers has been built around the "umami" concept, using sophisticated combinations of natural flavors.

Are you an Umami Burger fan?