"Umami Burger 3 with Judd Apatow" is Episode 328 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Umami Burger 3 with Judd Apatow" was released on December 2, 2021.
"Tomorrow… with Judd Apatow" - @doughboyspod
Synopsis[]
Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Trainwreck, The King of Staten Island, Love) joins the 'boys to discuss Adam Sandler, live shows and LA eats before a review of Umami Burger. Plus, another edition of Pie In This Guy.
Nick's intro[]
In the 1970s and '80s, the US media advanced a scare campaign on an ingredient commonly found in American Chinese food: monosodium glutamate, or MSG.
While the case for MSG's deleterious health effects was the anecdotal account of a single physician, news outlets eagerly ran with the panic, popularizing the racist term "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome," linked to an array of ambiguous allergic reactions. Out of economic necessity, Asian-American eateries of all varieties responded by purging the ingredient from their kitchens, assuring customers via menus and signage that their fare was "MSG Free." And while ultimately the Syndrome was proven to be a hoax, the association of MSG with health risks unfortunately persists, especially among older demographics.
The discovery of MSG was credited to Japanese chemist, Kikunae Ikada, who isolated the compound in 1908, and in so doing, coined the term for the so-called "fifth flavor," commonly found in foods like parmesan, mushrooms, and soy sauce. A century later, restaurateur Adam Fleischman opened a Los Angeles burger bar based around the savory flavor, naming it for the term first classified by Ikada.
The outlet arrived just as the gastropub-burger trend was hitting its stride and it was popular was Angelenos, leading the company to expand throughout the Southland and beyond. Today, the chain has two dozen locations across the country and dotted around the globe.
"Marketing is a hell of a thing," as Natasha Geiling hints at in Smithsonian Magazine, "if Fleischman's chain had been called 'MSG Burger,' it never would have gone past a business plan, but naming it for the savory flavor that MSG produces? Well, he might be a trendsetter in American chain restaurants."
This week on Doughboys, we return once again to Umami Burger.
Fork rating[]
The first time the Doughboys reviewed Umami was way back in episode 8, when Nick gave it 3 forks and Mitch 2.5 forks. Two years later, they returned to try Umami's Impossible Burger and Nick gave it 3.5 forks and Mitch 3.25 forks.
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
3.75 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
3.75 forks |
| Judd Apatow |
|
4.5 forks |
Mitch shared this order with Mrs. Mitchell.
Judd talked more about his 'usual' order and a time he had both cakes from Umami; unclear what he ordered specifically for the show.
Pie In This Guy 🥧[]
Shepherd's Pie
| “ |
Pie, pie, which one is in this guy? |
” |
In this segment, Nick presents a mystery pie and offers increasingly-obvious clues about what it is.
There are two lifelines: Ask Emma and the Eye Test (Nick will show a close-up picture).
Judd was not around for this segment, and neither was Emma. Mrs. Mitchell wasn't home either, so Mitch had to compete by himself. If Mitch doesn't get it through all four clues, he will lose.
| guest / host | clues / guess | result |
|---|---|---|
| Robert DeNiro has directed two films, A Bronx Tale and a clue to this pie. | ||
| Mike Mitchell | Grape Pie | incorrect |
| This pie is British is origin, not German, though its name evokes an animal from Deutschland. | ||
| Mike Mitchell | Shepherd's Pie | correct! |
| Unused clue: If you like your pies savory, this pie is not baaaaa-d. | ||
Mitch wins! Nick will buy him a pie next time he sees him.
Roast Spoonman[]
| “ | Single and Looking to Pringle | ” |
–Luke | ||
Quotes[]
| “ | I get out of the shower and I had a Chips Ahoy McFlurry delivered, just out of the blue. I didn't order it! Now my Mom is mad at me, thinking I order sweets secretly. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | It's weird it doesn't exist. | ” |
–Judd Apatow re: The Doughboys Movie | ||
| “ | No pig farmer will sell me their pig, for whatever reason. I wanted a truffle pig. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
#hashtags[]
- #HolidayPlate or #JollyDayPlate or #HoHoHungry or #HoHoHongry
The Feedbag[]
| “ | Since the holiday season is upon us, what is your most ideal holiday plate? | ” |
–Katie from Long Beach, CA | ||
| host | favorite holiday plate |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | turkey / scalloped potatoes / green bean casserole / dinner roll / ice cream cups |
| Mike Mitchell | turkey / mashed potatoes / stuffing / peas / corn / rolls |
Related Episodes[]
| Umami Burger episodes |
|---|
|
Photos[]
