As SOMOS Hospitality prepares to reveal UMMO – a contemporary Italian dining concept opening in the heart of River North at 22 West Hubbard St. – Chef/Partner Jose Sosa presents a contemporary Italian menu that will offer the flavors of regional Italian cuisine. OpenTable bookings are now live, with limited reservations available starting Saturday, August 5. Full reservations will be unlocked on the grand opening date of Friday, August 11.
Now with the SOMOS team leading the culinary team at UMMO, Chef Sosa’s contemporary Italian cuisine represents each region’s culinary traditions, preparation techniques and native ingredients.
“In Italy, it’s all about the flavors directly in front of you, those which are cultivated in your backyard,” he says. “The best restaurants I have visited are those where the chef does very little to manipulate those flavors, allowing ingredients to shine to their full potential at the precise moment that they are at their peak. This is the spirit we embrace in UMMO’s kitchen. I’m proud to have some special relationships with amazing producers throughout the country who are going to be a very important part of the UMMO story.”
Photo courtesy of UMMO
UMMO’s Antipasti feature a range of meats, cheeses, raw bar selections and more. Chef Sosa’s current favorite is revealed in a dish that speaks to the heritage flavors of Puglia:
Burrata: From Puglia, this is paired with a 30-month-aged prosciutto that melts on the palate. A Sicilian eggplant caponata adds a tangy counterpoint to the mellow richness of the burrata. The plate is drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, sourced from a family-owned business in Puglia. A touch of traditional balsamic is added at the end and is crafted by Chef Sosa and Andrea Bezzecchi, UMMO’s balsamic producer at Aseita San Giacomo.
House-made pastas are part of Chef Sosa’s Primi section. Crafted by hand a la minute with Paolo Mariani 00 flour, he emphasizes two dishes:
Bucatini with Octopus Ragu reimagines the classic Bolognese recipe. Instead of traditional veal and pork, Chef Sosa incorporates tender, braised octopus. This seafood-infused pasta is dressed in a sugo and concludes with a Calabrian chili oil, merging the flavors of land and sea.
Lasagna Asparagus Rotolo features a pasta sheet rolled with an asparagus ragu in a robiola fonduta and crowned with Umbrian truffles.
Most of the Secondi at UMMO are prepared utilizing the restaurant’s wood burning oven. Guests can expect dishes like:
Wood-Fired 60-Day Dry-Aged Fiorentina Steak (to share). This dish is aged in collaboration with Purely Meat Co. The Fiorentina Steak, known for its T-bone structure and marbling, undergoes a 60-day dry-aging process with beef selected for the program. After two months, the steak is cooked over a live wood fire, ensuring a seared crust. Accompanying the steak is a bone marrow. The steak is served with a salsa verde. Lastly, a traditional Italian giardiniera lends a tangy, crunchy perkiness.
Wild Turbot. Chef Sosa ages the entire fish in-house before transferring it to a live flame. Seasoned wood sears the fish, with the final de-boning and presentation performed tableside. Paired with a bed of earthy green farro and immersed in a broth of mussels.
Contorni at UMMO. Roasted Maitake Mushrooms are finished on the grill, a lacing of Wagyu. The smoky, umami-filled mushrooms are crowned with a fonduta of Robiola, creamy goat’s cheese from Lombardia.
Photo courtesy of UMMO
Under the hand of Pastry Chef Jesús Escalera, guests are offered a sweet finish:
Pomodoro e Basilico. A reinterpretation of the traditional Pomodoro, this is a dessert that mimics the shape and appearance of an actual tomato sculpted and transformed into a pastry. Constructed from a compote that captures the sweet and tart nuances of the fruit, it is paired with raspberries. Accompanying the dessert is afresh basil sorbet, finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil from Puglia. A touch of vanilla and a dollop of tangy yogurt.
22 W. Tiramisu. UMMO’s variation was created in collaboration with Sparrow Coffee. The dessert takes the shape of a coffee bean, a nod to the role of coffee in the dessert, as well as UMMO's own specially blended coffee from Sparrow. Within, guests will discover a dacquoise, a layer of almond meringue providing a nutty sweetness that melds with the coffee notes.
An Ode to Parmigiano. For those who prefer formaggio at the beginning or the end of their meal.
Photo courtesy of UMMO
With a boutique wine program featuring producers predominantly from Italy, France, Spain and the U.S.. Additionally, those seeking cocktails will be offered a selection developed by Beverage Director James Van Der Bosch, previously a mixology lead at The Alinea Group. At UMMO, the drinks selections feature:
Strawberry Cannoli. This cocktail showcases a blend of vodka and crème fraîche fat-washed curacao. The dominant strawberry notes are offset by creamy undertones, culminating in an egg white cocktail that is dusted with a fine strawberry powder.
Caprese Milk Punch. Van Der Bosch takes an herbaceous, basil-infused gin and marries it with a mozzarella tincture and tomato juice.
As SOMOS Hospitality prepares to reveal UMMO – a contemporary Italian dining concept opening in the heart of River North at 22 West Hubbard St. – Chef/Partner Jose Sosa presents a contemporary Italian menu that will offer the flavors of regional Italian cuisine. OpenTable bookings are now live, with limited reservations available starting Saturday, August 5. Full reservations will be unlocked on the grand opening date of Friday, August 11.
Now with the SOMOS team leading the culinary team at UMMO, Chef Sosa’s contemporary Italian cuisine represents each region’s culinary traditions, preparation techniques and native ingredients.
“In Italy, it’s all about the flavors directly in front of you, those which are cultivated in your backyard,” he says. “The best restaurants I have visited are those where the chef does very little to manipulate those flavors, allowing ingredients to shine to their full potential at the precise moment that they are at their peak. This is the spirit we embrace in UMMO’s kitchen. I’m proud to have some special relationships with amazing producers throughout the country who are going to be a very important part of the UMMO story.”
UMMO’s Antipasti feature a range of meats, cheeses, raw bar selections and more. Chef Sosa’s current favorite is revealed in a dish that speaks to the heritage flavors of Puglia:
Burrata: From Puglia, this is paired with a 30-month-aged prosciutto that melts on the palate. A Sicilian eggplant caponata adds a tangy counterpoint to the mellow richness of the burrata. The plate is drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, sourced from a family-owned business in Puglia. A touch of traditional balsamic is added at the end and is crafted by Chef Sosa and Andrea Bezzecchi, UMMO’s balsamic producer at Aseita San Giacomo.
House-made pastas are part of Chef Sosa’s Primi section. Crafted by hand a la minute with Paolo Mariani 00 flour, he emphasizes two dishes:
Bucatini with Octopus Ragu reimagines the classic Bolognese recipe. Instead of traditional veal and pork, Chef Sosa incorporates tender, braised octopus. This seafood-infused pasta is dressed in a sugo and concludes with a Calabrian chili oil, merging the flavors of land and sea.
Lasagna Asparagus Rotolo features a pasta sheet rolled with an asparagus ragu in a robiola fonduta and crowned with Umbrian truffles.
Most of the Secondi at UMMO are prepared utilizing the restaurant’s wood burning oven. Guests can expect dishes like:
Wood-Fired 60-Day Dry-Aged Fiorentina Steak (to share). This dish is aged in collaboration with Purely Meat Co. The Fiorentina Steak, known for its T-bone structure and marbling, undergoes a 60-day dry-aging process with beef selected for the program. After two months, the steak is cooked over a live wood fire, ensuring a seared crust. Accompanying the steak is a bone marrow. The steak is served with a salsa verde. Lastly, a traditional Italian giardiniera lends a tangy, crunchy perkiness.
Wild Turbot. Chef Sosa ages the entire fish in-house before transferring it to a live flame. Seasoned wood sears the fish, with the final de-boning and presentation performed tableside. Paired with a bed of earthy green farro and immersed in a broth of mussels.
Contorni at UMMO. Roasted Maitake Mushrooms are finished on the grill, a lacing of Wagyu. The smoky, umami-filled mushrooms are crowned with a fonduta of Robiola, creamy goat’s cheese from Lombardia.
Under the hand of Pastry Chef Jesús Escalera, guests are offered a sweet finish:
Pomodoro e Basilico. A reinterpretation of the traditional Pomodoro, this is a dessert that mimics the shape and appearance of an actual tomato sculpted and transformed into a pastry. Constructed from a compote that captures the sweet and tart nuances of the fruit, it is paired with raspberries. Accompanying the dessert is afresh basil sorbet, finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil from Puglia. A touch of vanilla and a dollop of tangy yogurt.
22 W. Tiramisu. UMMO’s variation was created in collaboration with Sparrow Coffee. The dessert takes the shape of a coffee bean, a nod to the role of coffee in the dessert, as well as UMMO's own specially blended coffee from Sparrow. Within, guests will discover a dacquoise, a layer of almond meringue providing a nutty sweetness that melds with the coffee notes.
An Ode to Parmigiano. For those who prefer formaggio at the beginning or the end of their meal.
With a boutique wine program featuring producers predominantly from Italy, France, Spain and the U.S.. Additionally, those seeking cocktails will be offered a selection developed by Beverage Director James Van Der Bosch, previously a mixology lead at The Alinea Group. At UMMO, the drinks selections feature:
Strawberry Cannoli. This cocktail showcases a blend of vodka and crème fraîche fat-washed curacao. The dominant strawberry notes are offset by creamy undertones, culminating in an egg white cocktail that is dusted with a fine strawberry powder.
Caprese Milk Punch. Van Der Bosch takes an herbaceous, basil-infused gin and marries it with a mozzarella tincture and tomato juice.
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