Last month, in a WeChat group for Dalian expats, I asked for recommendations for Western Burger Quality restaurants.
Among the suggestions listed were Brooklyn, the Wandering Moose, Euro-Bake, Spider Taproom & also, UNOME.
So began my search…
Since UNOME was one of the recommendations that I was unfamiliar with, I added it to my “To-Visit” list.
Meet UNOME
Located across from InCity Mall in the Wanda Hua Fu area, Unome Cafe is a local restaurant in Dalian that serves healthy entrees and dishes such as salads, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, handmade pizza, dessert, and an array of beverage options.
Apparently, I arrived at the perfect time, just before crowds of people would start pouring in for lunch.
There was literally no one there when I arrived (that’s my preference to capture footage), but by the time I left, UNOME was packed, both upstairs and downstairs!
UNOME’s Decor
Sitting in UNOME reminded me of being in a Panera Bread.
Ahhhhh…oh the joys of days past!
Studying in the cafe with a hot cup of coffee and a bagel slathered with hazelnut cream cheese…
My bad…I digress. ?
The Food
I ordered the blueberry smoothie (36), appetizer roast chicken tacos (36), and the beef burger with fresh fries and a side salad (65).
The appetizer
The roast chicken taco comes with cold chicken, red cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and parsley in the perfect crunchy taco shell.
The sound of crunching was pleasant to my ears. I felt like I was in a Zach Choi ASMR YouTube video!
SN: I love Zach Choi!
The side salad that came with the tacos had a vinegar dressing that was unusually sour. Had I known, I would have requested for the salad to come without it.
Yes, I enjoyed listening to the crunch in my head…lol!
For my drink of choice, I ordered UNOME’s blueberry smoothie.
The blueberry smoothie has a strong authentic taste of the perfect blend of blueberries and yogurt.
Not too sweet and very filling. It was really good!
Main course: UNOME’s Beef Burger (65RMB)
The burger isn’t good…there is an after-taste that doesn’t sit well with the tongue.
The meat of the burger, which is the most important part, didn’t have the same quality in taste that I’d had in the other restaurants.
Although it came with bacon and cheese, it didn’t meet my expectations.
The French fries were cut into v-shaped wedges and had a delicious crispy golden texture and taste.
Golden V-Wedges at UNOME Golden V-Wedges at UNOME
The Dessert
I asked for ice cream but she said they don’t have ice cream because they are a healthy restaurant but they had 10 different types of cake/dessert listed on the menu. ??♀️ ?
For dessert, I ordered the Passion Fruit Cheese Cake (28) and for me, it was the perfect intensity of flavor, not too sweet and splendidly velvety-smooth.
The only thing that I would change about the cheesecake is the crust.
Real authentic cheesecake has a beautiful buttery graham cracker crust that whispers, “I love you” when eaten. this would have been perfect with that kind of crust.
The passion fruit’s contribution to the cheesecake seemed to be a thin layer of flavored jelly but the flavor was satisfying.
I also ordered a Chocolate Mousse Cake to go home with me (30).
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is perfect on this rainy day. The music currently playing is “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone…” ?
The People
Since I only have 2 Chinese classes under my belt at the time of writing this, my ability to communicate with the first lady that greeted me when I arrived was poor.
Honestly, I wish I could have been better able to communicate at that time, but UNOME had a remedy for that.
May, the greeter when I first walked in, took over the conversation by leading me to the upstairs area where I could sit and enjoy my meal. After placing my meal with her, though, I didn’t see her again until I left.
I am happy to say that I was able to communicate well enough (in my Toddler Chinglish) with the waitress by pointing and using hand gestures for the rest of the meal.
Conclusion
So the big question is…
Is the UNOME “Burger-certifiable???”
Unfortunately, issa “NO” for me, friend.
Considering that this is the only “true” burger they have on their menu, I would not recommend this place for your burger needs.
In all fairness, I believe UNOME is popular for many of their other entrees and dishes as the place began to fill with locals and expats shortly after my arrival.
It’s quite the popular venue in Wanda Hua Fu!
I appreciate all of the expats in our community that suggested this place to me. I also would like to thank the UNOME Cafe staff for their courteous attempt to assist me with my visit and I look forward to returning to try other menu items in the future.