Orlando’s Mills 50 is about to get a serious upgrade in its lunch box game. Chef Lewis Lin is rolling out Hayashi Tarō this spring, a compact “omakase bento” spot that centers on high-end to-go boxes while keeping an intimate eight-seat counter for those who want the full show. Think of it as a portable, streamlined version of the kappo and omakase experience he already serves at his other restaurants.
Where And When
According to Orlando Weekly, Hayashi Tarō is taking over the Royaltea space at 714 N. Mills Ave and is expected to open in April. The shop will serve three different omakase bento boxes for takeout, priced between $35 and $45, with the option to add ceremonial-grade matcha to round things out. Lin says fish and other seafood will be flown in overnight from Japan to stock those boxes.
From Izakaya To Quick Omakase
Lin, the chef behind Susuru and Juju, has built a local following for precise dry-aged fish and kappo-style service, as noted by ClickOrlando. Before Hayashi Tarō opens, he is also expected to debut Neko San, a quick-service omakase and sake bar near Susuru that was reported earlier this year. That one-two punch, a formal kappo counter paired with quicker and more accessible concepts, has become a clear pattern in Lin’s recent projects.
Inside The Concept
Lin told Orlando Weekly, "Her wish was to celebrate the birth with a kappo omakase from Juju in her hospital bed." That kind of special-occasion anywhere thinking shapes Hayashi Tarō. In addition to the takeout bentos, the space will feature an eight-seat counter where extra omakase options will be prepared live, and Juju’s sake specialist, Mai Yoshioka, is slated to host evening sake tastings after the April opening.
Why It Matters
Across the country, chefs have been turning omakase into something you can carry out, from Kyōten’s bento boxes during the pandemic to 5Kinokawa’s curated to-go kits, signaling a broader shift in how high-end sushi is served outside the traditional counter. Examples of this move into premium takeout have been covered by Eater Chicago and the Houston Chronicle. By blending portable bentos with a tiny omakase counter, Hayashi Tarō offers Orlando diners a more casual, time-friendly way to tap into chef-led omakase without committing to a long, drawn-out seating.
