Don’t panic when you see napkin-wrapped chopsticks on the tables at Umami Moto, because you’ll find knives, forks and spoons hidden inside. That was our first surprise, and one of many at this extraordinary new restaurant where I finally understood — or at least experienced — that fifth taste sensation, "umami," or literally, "deliciousness." We know sweet, sour, salty ... but umami, technically glutamic acid, an amino protein, adds elusive fullness, a roundness of flavor, a third dimension. It’s impossible to describe but when you taste it, you’ll know it, or at least that’s what I was told.

Curious, we wanted to sample everything on the menu, which read like a dictionary of Asian fusion cuisine. I chose the Udon Noodle Salad, since it had an interesting dressing, braised chicken and udon noodles. My friend ordered the Thai Chicken Spring Rolls because the honey-mango dipping sauce sounded like a winner. Both lunches were superb and, incidentally, so was the service. My aesthetically designed salad came in layers: first chicken, then two kinds of crisp lettuce, chopped red pepper and other small bites that crunched, noodles and, at last, the source of the umami, cilantro sesame peanut dressing with chili oil. The flavors exploded in my mouth with that indescribable deliciousness. My friend’s spring rolls were equally amazing with complex flavors packed into crisp rolls beautifully complemented by the dipping sauce. "I think this might be the third dimension," she said.

When our server described the desserts and said, "Our chef makes the chocolate," we were hooked. We split an order of Mandarin Chocolate Spring Rolls, crisp tubes stuffed with his melted chocolate and served with sherbet and a sliced strawberry. Imagine warm dark chocolate combined with a spoonful of raspberry sherbet. I wanted to lick the plate. That’s umami and, yes, now I’m a believer.