Is Umami’s new Impossible burger actually vegan?

Apparently some vegans are running into issues when ordering the new Impossible Burger being rolled out across Umami Burgers in Los Angeles. The problem: They may think they’re getting a vegan burger, but that’s not actually the case.

Despite the patty itself being vegan, some meatless bloggers have reportedly run into issues because the bun, sauce, and parts of the finishing process are decidedly not so. Eater reached out to Umami to confirm, though regardless it is worth noting that the Impossible Burger team isn’t focused on making a fully vegan burger (bun and all), but instead catering to regular meat-eaters with a more sustainable and similar alternative. There was some apparent confusion when vegan bloggers got served Impossible Burgers with cheese on them at a recent event in Los Angeles, but Umami says only a handful of those in attendance even wanted their burgers made that way.

Here’s what Umami has to say:

The Impossible Burger patty was created entirely from plants making it vegan, yes, but it’s intent is for people who love meat, not vegans. It's a delicious option with sustainability benefits – using 95% less land, 74% less water and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions, while being 100% free of hormones, antibiotics, and artificial ingredients. While their standard preparation isn't vegetarian or vegan, it's easy to order it that way. We’d like to note, Umami Burger has never claimed that the Impossible Burger would be vegan, just the patty as created by Impossible Foods, is vegan.

Immigrant dinners

Momed in Atwater Village is making its own mark as a place for immigrants to come share their stories and feed people. As LA Times notes, the tucked-away eatery is doing a series of thoughtful dinners aimed at highlighting America’s immigrant issues.

Cascabel Taco Shop is live

Looks like an official opening this week for Cascabel Taco Shop in the Valley. The casual offshoot is now doing lunch right off Riverside Drive.

Tacolandia’s full reveal

The final, full lineup for this year’s Tacolandia party is live. The annual event lands this year on June 17, and includes some of the best and biggest names making tacos here and elsewhere, from All Flavor No Grease to the famed Zamora Bros.

Paella on the patio

Saturdays are about to get more interesting thanks to La Carmencita on Highland. The seafood-focused West Hollywood-adjacent space is starting their brunch this weekend, including an ongoing paella project that gets cooked off right on the patio.

Talking about tipping

Caroline Styne of the Lucques Group talks all things tipping, service charges, and back of house staffing in this new interview with the LA Times. It’s an interesting insider’s look at just how hard it still is to run a restaurant, even one as successful as the 19-year-old Lucques.

Elysian has closed

The quiet Elysian restaurant in Frogtown has closed for dinner, some six years after starting as a pop-up and occasional restaurant space. They leave behind the below note on social media, on their website.