Ômo by Jônt

Orlando, Florida https://www.omobyjont.com/

Mimicking the experience at Jônt, their 2 Michelin star restaurant in Washington DC, Ômo offers a unique and exclusive tasting menu to 16 guests at a time through a variety of rooms and environments.

Invited by the dining companion I met at The Clove Club in London, I was happy to visit Chef Ryan Ratino's newest outpost. Jônt is a known 2 star stalwart in Washington D.C. While our experience there was sub-par (from most of what I have read about it), I was happy to give another try to this very new restaurant in Orlando.

The format is exactly the same as Jônt: opening bites in a living room, dinner at an open chef's counter, desserts at a different counter. They are nearly identical experiences, down to a course-by-course comparison. If you have been to Jônt, you have been to Ômo. That's not necessarily a bad thing - just a note to those who may have experienced D.C. It's a terrific opportunity for those in Orlando to experience Jônt without the plane flight.

Much of the staff came from Disney, which makes all the sense in the world. And to a person, they are outstanding. Engaging, friendly, caring, able. I need to give special kudos to the front of house manager, who is among the best I've ever seen at the position.

We didn't experience some of the service-misses that we had at Jônt, though we never received napkins and had to ask for them. (They were properly sheepish when told and took care of it immediately.) Overall, this was a group of people who are definitely aligned to Chef Ryan's vision, proud to be there and working cohesively. To me, that is the most impressive thing here. To be able to pull that off so quickly in a city that does not have this level of dining, it's a credit to Chef Ryan's hiring practices and training regime. Bravo.

While too new to be eligible for this Thursday's Michelin Florida guide, Ômo is clearly shooting straight for 2 stars. There is no "let's build up to it" attitude here, something Chef Ryan confirmed as he shared his vision with us during dinner. He was far more enjoyable this time around. As offputting as he was when we dined at Jônt, it was an off night. We all have them. He was far more engaging and friendly this evening.

The food is stellar. Absolutely a 2 star delivery. Top quality ingredients, smartly put together. If you go, you must order the musk melon add-on. This melon is grown 1 per tree and shipped on a pillow. I know - it looks like a honeydew. But you have never tasted anything so delicious in your life. For $30, do it.

With 8 of us dining (at this later seating), staffing was greater than 1:1. Though less so, I was still looking for the soul and passion here. Everything (food, service, physical space) is refined and "cleaned up" so much, it still seems a bit "sterile". Perhaps a more rounded story would help. Chef Ryan and I discussed SingleThread and when I think of that place, it's not just the food but the vision. The connection of their passion to the experience I enjoyed when I dined there. I'm not sure I know what that is here other than that Chef Ryan loves Japan.

That being said, Ômo is a credit to Orlando and provides a very strong updraft to its culinary scene. For those who have not yet been to Jônt, I would strongly recommend a visit here. It's substantive quality, incredible food and a true high-end experience. Great to have it nearby.