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Umami is a small card game set during a nighttime food festival in a forest, where animal chefs compete to serve the most delicious dishes. Each player runs a food stall, trying to balance flavours and, of course, score the most points by the end. It’s all about mixing and matching ingredients to create dishes that fit what the crowd wants.
On paper, it’s a quick little filler about cooking. In practice, it feels more like a calm, slightly competitive puzzle with a food theme sitting politely on top. The theme is cute, but you won’t exactly feel the chaos of a real kitchen. It’s more like quietly plating dishes while raccoons and cranes nod in approval.
👥 2-5 players, ages 10+
⌛ Playing time: 20 minutes
📝 Designer: Don Eskridge
🎨 Artwork: Ikuko Nakai
🏢 Publisher: HeidelBÄR Games (review copy provided)
Gameplay Overview
Everyone starts with four ingredient cards and a secret favourite card. In the middle of the table, there’s a shared market with more ingredients and favourites on display. On your turn, you play two ingredient cards, one from your hand and one from the market, adding them to your dishes. Each dish is basically a column of cards that you’re building towards one of the favourite cards. You can have up to five dishes going at once, but managing them is the real challenge.
When a dish matches a favourite card’s requirements, you claim that favourite and the dish is done. The favourites usually ask for certain colour or number combinations. You can also take favourites from other players if your dish turns out tastier, meaning it matches the same combination but has a better total in the preferred direction, either higher or lower depending on what the card shows.
Ingredient cards come in three colours: green, yellow and red. Each number is tied to a colour, and every card shows one of three icons. Stars give points at the end, blossoms break ties, and steals let you take a card from another player’s unfinished dish once per turn. The stealing part sounds meaner than it actually is, and sometimes it barely happens, depending on what’s available. When it does happen, though, it usually causes some laughter or mild frustration. Both are good signs.
The game ends when all favourites have been taken or when someone has twelve ingredient cards. Then everyone reveals their secret favourite, which can change a few things in the last moments. After one more round, you count your points. Each favourite and each star gives a point, and the player with the most points wins.
Artwork, Components and Design
Umami is all cards, no fancy extras. There are 81 ingredient cards, 18 favourites and a single first serving card that marks who starts. The ingredients are colourful and easy to read, with clear icons and soft backgrounds that keep the table from looking too busy.
For me, the favourite cards carry most of the game’s character. Each shows a forest animal chef in Japanese festival clothing, like a fox or a raccoon serving food. It’s charming in a slightly absurd way, and it gives the game a friendly and playful tone.
The component quality is solid, and the small box fits nicely on a shelf or in a bag. The rulebook explains everything clearly with examples, so you’ll be playing within minutes. It’s not a game that stuns you visually, but it looks neat and consistent.
Our Experience
Setup is quick. Shuffle, deal, and you’re off. The game gets going fast, and once you’re in, turns move smoothly. You play two cards, keep an eye on what others are doing, and try to set yourself up for the next turn. It’s easy to follow and doesn’t drag on.
Teaching it is easy, which makes it good for groups who don’t want to spend time learning rules. After a few games, though, you start to notice that it doesn’t really surprise you anymore. The decisions are fine, but a bit repetitive. Sometimes you just sit there waiting for the right card, and that can slow things down a bit.
The stealing part can be fun, though it really depends on what’s on the table. There are games where it hardly comes up, and others where it’s the main event. It depends entirely on luck. Still, it gives a bit of personality and keeps players paying attention.
The secret favourite phase at the end is a smart design choice. It gives everyone one last chance to finish something and makes sure the ending doesn’t feel flat.
A game usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. With three players, it feels just right: short, clear, and with a bit of push and pull. With two players, it’s more tactical. With more than three, it gets a bit messy, but in a good way. Like a food festival where everyone’s talking over each other and grabbing plates at the same time.
Our Thoughts
Umami does what it’s supposed to do. It’s a light, quick filler that looks good and plays smoothly. It’s approachable and works well with almost any group, even with people who don’t play many games.
But it’s also familiar. You’ve probably played something similar before, just with a different theme. The whole collect-three-to-score structure is quite standard. The “high or low” twist is nice, but it doesn’t really change the overall feel.
The artwork by Ikuko Nakai carries a lot of the game’s charm. It’s detailed, warm, and gives Umami most of its appeal. The icon design is clear, which makes it easy to play, but the gameplay itself is more abstract than it looks. You’re technically cooking, but in reality, you’re just matching numbers and colours. It’s fine, but don’t expect a deep food simulation.
The strategy is mostly about timing and reading the table. Knowing when to finish a dish, when to hold back, and when to take a risk is satisfying, but luck still plays a big role. Sometimes you get the cards you need, sometimes you don’t. It’s not the kind of game you play for perfect balance or deep tactics.
After several plays, it’s still pleasant but predictable. It’s one of those games that’s easy to bring out, doesn’t require much focus, and leaves everyone in a good mood. It’s light, colourful, and it fills a small gap in a game night without overstaying its welcome. Think of it as a small snack before the main course: tasty enough, but you’ll still want something else after.
If you want something quick, easy to teach, and with a bit of character, Umami does the job. Just don’t expect it to blow you away.
📝 We received a copy of Umami from HeidelBÄR Games.
