Chez Omar is the latest culinary gem to grace the West Village, offering a unique fusion of French Caribbean cuisine that is sure to delight food enthusiasts. Under the expert guidance of Chef Omar Walters, known for his acclaimed work at Omar’s Kitchen and Rum Bar, this bistro features a vibrant menu that combines classic French dishes with the rich flavors of Jamaican cooking.

“Looking back, at times, I thought it was stressful, but it turned out to be fun,” Chef Omar Walters told us. “I wanted to create a separation from Omar’s Kitchen and Rum Bar. Being 15 minutes away from each other, I didn’t want the two competing with each other, so I started to think about what would be exciting yet still minor similarities to the following we developed post-rum bar. I developed a love for French food on a trip to Paris, and I would try a lot of my favorite dishes there when I came back to the States. It struck a light bulb to me while dining at a French restaurant I frequent in the LES. A light bulb struck, and I decided to pair a fusion where Jamaican cuisine meets French.”

A New Dining Experience: Chez Omar’s Colourful Caribbean Influences

The restaurant’s colorful décor reflects Walters’ Caribbean roots, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that draws guests in for an unforgettable dining experience. “My sister Chelsea Walters was the interior designer who saw the project through, start to finish, and she’s still not finished,” Chef explained. “Every week, you can catch her adding decor to a wall somewhere or art somewhere in the place. She also designed the rum bar, and she exceeded my expectations of Chez Omar. Anthony S. did his signature murals as he did in the rum bar.” The vibrant interior blends with the flavors to create a true culinary journey, “With the spices such as scotch bonnet, thyme, and allspice, even the lamb chops sauce has a hit of pomegranate to it, which grows wild in Jamaica.”

The menu at Chez Omar starts with a tantalizing selection of hors d’oeuvres, such as Conch Croquettes served with a lobster tomato sauce, bringing a French flair to a Jamaican classic. Another standout is the Ackee Tuna Tartare, which features fresh tuna paired with ackee, avocado, and a lively mango salsa drizzled with balsamic glaze. Highlights of the menu include the Steak au Poivre, “I like to hit the steak with a little pimento, better known as allspice, to give it that little kick and twist. For the croquettes, we added a Caribbean favorite but tasteful cooking seafood called conch.” The comforting Oxtail Braise is another ca-n’t-miss dish, “I put a twist on it by using the mother of French sauces, the Demi glacé, and combining it with the signature traditional Jamaican recipe with allspice, scotch bonnet scallion, etc.”

The chef credits his previous experiences with helping him channel his creativity into a restaurant filled with palate-pleasers. “Omar’s Kitchen was a way for me to learn the restaurant business and understand it from all aspects of the restaurant industry,” he explained. “Coming from a catering and travel private cooking background, what I thought I knew about the restaurant business coming into the rum bar made me realize I only knew 5 percent of it. I learned all roles, even down to bartending. At times, I love jumping in and bartending, to the point that some customers who have frequented the rum bar have only seen me bartending and later realize I’m actually the chef.”

“We opened months before the Covid lockdown of 2020, and it taught me that in this industry, it’s about adjusting to changing times and learning to adapt quickly while still sticking to the core of what goal you want to get across. Entering into the 5th year of the rum bar, I felt I had learned enough to expand the brand and target a new audience while still pleasing my current audience. At the rum bar, I expanded my network, especially in the Lower East Side, which welcomed the rum bar to the point you would think it had been there for over a decade. Lower East Side feels so much at home and ready to expand that same energy to the West Village.”