Chef José Sosa grew up in Michoacán, Mexico, and got his start in restaurants at 16 years old as a dishwasher in Chicago.
But Italy is where he really fell in love with food.
“In Italy, it’s all about the flavors directly in front of you, those which are cultivated in your backyard,” Sosa said.
His passion for the minimalist approach to Italian pasta, seafood and steak is now on display at UMMO, which opened in River North earlier this month, in the former Rockit Bar & Grill space.
Among Sosa’s favorite dishes is the penne-like garganelli pasta ($24), tossed with a lamb belly ragu and topped with fresh ricotta. The lamb is braised overnight for up to 10 hours, lending supreme tenderness to each bite. Another top pick is the baby beet salad ($16) accented with honey-tinged ricotta and compressed strawberries.
As for desserts, pastry chef Jesús Escalera took Instagram by storm with visually stunning desserts such as the pomodoro e basilico ($18), a tomato-shaped doppelgänger filled with raspberry and vanilla compote and basil sorbet.
Sosa first traveled to Italy about 12 years ago and “just like any other tourist,” he said, he visited the popular cities and sites. Over the years, he began to take weekslong stretches to less-explored regions — northern Emilia-Romagna and southern Puglia were two recent destinations — where he became enamored by “all of the delicacies” the country has to offer, he said.
“I went to the smaller towns to make more connections with vendors, meet new people and learn more about the cuisines from each region,” Sosa said. “Every time that I go back, that’s what I focus on.”
From pasta-making classes to learning best way to use various cheeses, Sosa said he was able to learn different techniques and approaches to Italian cuisine from across the country that have all culminated into his latest endeavor.
After starting off as a teen, Sosa worked his way up to being a line cook, then a sous chef, and through multiple lauded Chicago restaurants, from Rosemont’s Rosewood Restaurant to Ambria and the Michelin-starred Boka. He joined Gibsons Restaurant Group in 2008, where he honed his expertise over more than a decade.
When Gibsons Italia debuted in 2017 — earning a three-star rating from former Tribune critic Phil Vettel — Sosa’s love of Italian cuisine made him a natural fit for the executive chef role.
After five years, he left Gibsons Italia on Dec. 21, he said, and took about a month off before diving fully into planning and prep for UMMO.
“The goal for every chef is to open something where he can create and be able to have freedom,” Sosa said. “I wanted to keep learning, keep getting better, (and) open something where I can do my own thing.”
He said many of the ingredients used in-house are imported directly from producers in Italy, people Sosa became close with during his trips. Among the finishing flourishes are imported olive oil and balsamic, and he also flies in the flour used to make fresh pasta every day.
Along with Sosa, UMMO’s leadership includes Germán González and Tzuco chef-partner Carlos Gaytán. Expect a second-floor lounge to open in the coming months, as well. The restaurant is open from 5-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
22 W. Hubbard St., 312-265-1232, ummochicago.com
More new and notable restaurant and bar openings, in alphabetical order:
Desert Hawk
A California-based hospitality company has brought a new oasis to Wicker Park. Desert Hawk bar landed in the former Pub Royale space Aug. 11. Look for tequila cocktails, with smash burgers and tacos by Cocina Sublime, plus a beautiful Joshua Tree mural by Chicago area artist Tracy Danet. 2049 W. Division St., 773-360-8445, instagram.com/deserthawkbar
Diego
Chef Stephen Sandoval and his team at Sueños have taken over a corner of Grand and Ogden avenues. Diego opened with a dog- and kid-friendly patio in the West Town neighborhood July 19. The Baja-inspired bar offers a grown-up frozen pink tropical Wanga Tanga cocktail, a Mexican spaghett made in a bottle of Modelo, plus Tacos Gobernador, the legendary shrimp and cheese Governor’s Tacos. Sibling restaurant Entre Sueños is scheduled to open in 2024. 459 N. Ogden Ave., 312-291-8449, diegochicago.com
ICHI by Torino
Japanese women-owned suburban restaurant Torino has expanded with a sister location serving homestyle comfort food and even a small selection of international snacks. ICHI by Torino began filling its bowls in Wilmette on July 29. Grab and go, or stay, for the karaage donburi, signature spicy Torino chicken ramen, plus strawberry daifuku mochi.
3217 Lake Ave., Wilmette; 847-728-0347, ichi.kitchen
Nisos Prime Bar and The Lounge
Chef Rick Tramonto is back as the food and beverage director at Parker Hospitality and has transformed Nisos from a Greek restaurant into a Mediterranean steakhouse. Prime Bar, the first of three phases, started pouring with a seasonal patio in the West Loop on Aug. 16, and The Lounge followed Friday. You can get a signature 22-ounce wood grilled bone-in rib-eye or truffled ricotta eggplant Parmesan at the bar, but drinks exclusively at the lounge include a Nebuchadnezzar of Billecart-Salmon Champagne for $6,500. The group expects to fire up the main dining room, Nisos Prime, in November.
802 W. Randolph St., 312-800-8582, nisosprime.com
Schneider Deli
Jake Schneider has revived the space that was once the iconic Ohio House Coffee Shop. Schneider Deli, his modern Jewish-style delicatessen that previously operated as a virtual and pop-up spot, commenced noshing in River North on Aug. 3. Your inner bubbe might get verklempt seeing the corned beef burger, pizza bialy and challah that’s available Fridays only. 600 N. La Salle Drive, schneiderdeli.com
Soule to Soule
Chef and owner Bridgette Flagg has reopened her wildly popular West Town storefront. Soule to Soule (pronounced soul to soul), the original location of Soulé (rhymes with Beyoncé), celebrated its renaissance Aug. 4. Soul food tapas feature catfish sliders, biscuits and gravy, plus mocktails to spike if you BYOB. 1931 W. Chicago Ave., 312-526-3825, souletosoule.com
Restaurant closures, in chronological order:
Seven Treasures, the Chinatown restaurant best known for its 554 and late-night wonton noodles was originally opened by family patriarch Chung Leung Au on Cermak Road 42 years ago. Eventually, it moved to Wentworth Avenue in 1986. In its final week, generations of would-be diners waited hours for a final meal, before the restaurant closed Aug. 12, days earlier than planned “due to staff shortages,” owners said.
Herbivore, the globally inspired plant-based comfort food restaurant shared on social media that chef and owner Max Musto has been diagnosed with a chronic illness, which has affected his vision and mobility with pain that became unmanageable, so the business will close permanently after a final day of service Aug. 26.
Know of a Chicago-area restaurant or bar that’s new and notable? Email food critic Louisa Chu at lchu@chicagotribune.com.
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