Modern Love - CLOSED

[Brad]

Modern Love - Omaha's only vegan restaurant

http://www.omaha.com/article/20131113/G ... restaurant

The restaurant, called Modern Love, will be attached to O'Leavers bar, in the former location of Star Deli, 1319 S. 50th St., which closed earlier this fall.

Moskowitz describes the menu as "swanky vegan comfort food," and she said the restaurant will serve a revolving menu of made-from-scratch dishes. She'll make her own cheese, condiments and soda. She said she's working with local farms, and the food will focus on vegetables. She'll also serve homemade pie.

[iamjacobm]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20140515/GO/140519080/1707

Vegan chef Isa Chandra Moskowitz will open her first restaurant in midtown, Modern Love Omaha, on June 8, according to the restaurant's website, modernloveomaha.com.

The restaurant will serve “swanky vegan comfort food.” It will be at 1319 S. 50th St., adjacent to O'Leaver's Pub.

Now this part is a rumor, but I have heard they may be a few celebrities at the opening. And I don't mean local celebrities either.

[Professor Woland]

I'm not a vegan but I'm glad this place is opening. I'll probably eat there with my wife and her friends at some point. I just hope we don't have an incident where some meatheads throw meat at the place or something. That sort of thing happens in many cities, but if it happens here we'll be looked down on because of it. When that happens in Chicago or Denver or some place like that nobody cares, but we have to be extra careful about potentially embarrassing incidents.

[iamjacobm]

That really happens? I didn't know people were so militant against vegans.

[Professor Woland]

That really happens? I didn't know people were so militant against vegans.

As I understand it, it happened here with the Daily Grub, though that might be an unfounded rumor.

[Professor Woland]

That really happens? I didn't know people were so militant against vegans.

Let me rephrase, when I say that sort of thing happens in other cities I don't mean that people in those cities throw meat at vegan restaurants (though I wouldn't be surprised if that did happen), I mean embarrassing sorts of meat-headedness happen all the time in every city in the USA. But if you live in a city that is unfairly stereotyped, it is important that citizens of the city avoid living down to the stereotypes. When that guy was punched by the homophobe last year it was a black eye on Omaha, even though the hillbilly who threw the punch was a Missourian (as I had predicted when the incident occurred). It's not fair that we should have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, but that's the way it is.

[Coyote]

Modern Love Omaha is scheduled to open August 5th.

https://www.facebook.com/ModernLoveOmaha?ref=ts&fref=ts

In answer to a few questions: we will begin taking reservations on July 21st through OpenTable. We are starting out with dinner only; Tuesday - Saturday 4pm to 10pm. We hope to be open for Sunday brunch shortly after. We do have a liquor license and will be serving beer and wine (plus red and white sangria!) We will also be posting a few chances to preview the menu before our official open date on August 5th, so stay tuned...

[onelocalfoods]

Isa is a great have in Omaha. It's too bad star deli didn't stay in that space but this is a huge upgrade! Absolutely adds to a great food scene.

[Coyote]

I think Star Deli found a nice little spot in Benson and will do well there, more foot traffic that a sandwich shop needs. Modern Love is more of a destination place and can afford to be tucked away along Saddle Creek. I hope they can attract enough business to make this a happening place!

[Professor Woland]

I think Star Deli found a nice little spot in Benson and will do well there, more foot traffic that a sandwich shop needs. Modern Love is more of a destination place and can afford to be tucked away along Saddle Creek. I hope they can attract enough business to make this a happening place!

There is a pretty sizable contingent of vegetarians and vegans here, I think they'll be able to keep the place afloat. I'm sure I'll eat there with my wife at some point, I'll just have to be sure to have eaten a double cheeseburger earlier in the day.

[nativeomahan]

Omaha benefits from more original restaurants like this. I'm not sure I will drive 5 miles to eat here very often, but we do try to eat vegetarian twice per week now.

[bigredmed]

Omaha benefits from more original restaurants like this. I'm not sure I will drive 5 miles to eat here very often, but we do try to eat vegetarian twice per week now.

I agree that we benefit from people trying to come up with original concepts. Places that come up with original recipes are even better. Still miss these Tabouli pita sandwiches we used to get in Jax. Had enough herbs and cilantro to have a distinct flavor and enough substance to fill you up. Most of the vegan stuff i have had here in Omaha is a nightmare landscape of crappy flavors and a Nixonian carpet bombing of carbohydrates. Really unhealthy. This forces me to eat salads. Which I eat a lot of already, and which A. get tired, and B. need to be eaten with protein (something often in short supply at the Vegan joints.)

Good luck to these guys.

[iamjacobm]

http://omahamagazine.com/2014/12/modern-love/

Moskowitz, a Brooklyn native, co-creator of the Post-Punk Kitchen web series and website (with frequent collaborator Terry Hope Romero), and author of eight vegan cookbooks—her most recent, Isa Does It, was released in October 2013—relocated to Omaha a few years ago to be with her boyfriend. After consulting in Omaha’s dining scene, she engineered a meatless Monday menu at the Benson Brewery last year.

A venture of her own seemed inevitable.

“There isn’t a vegan restaurant here, or even really a vegetable-focused restaurant,” Moskowitz adds, “and it feels important to create something like that right in the middle of the country.”

[iamjacobm]

http://www.sfweekly.com/foodie/2015/01/ ... ur-courses

And if that wasn’t enough, in February, Moskowitz is performing a one-woman show/cooking demonstration for five nights in four states (two in New York City) over the course of eight days. The tour, titled “Isa Live: A Vegan Life in Four Courses,” finishes at Napa’s City Winery Feb. 8.

For $75, the 300 people in attendance will receive a Caesar salad with Brussels sprouts, a tamale, chickpeas and dumplings, and a chocolate mousse cupcake with wine pairings. Sarcasm and strong opinions aren’t officially on the menu, but as we discovered in a recent email conversation with the Brooklyn native, there’s a better than average chance she’ll tell you why jackfruit tacos are this year’s tribal tattoo and how 40 degrees in Omaha is considered a nice day.

Kind of crazy to think a vegan chef that can sell 300 plates at $75 bucks a piece in NYC and Napa set up shop next to O'Leaver's in Omaha.

[Coyote]

And is now opening a Modern Love in Brooklyn...

[iamjacobm]

And is now opening a Modern Love in Brooklyn...

Omaha had it first. Brooklyn needs to up their game .

[U R my Helix]

The only real vegan meal I have is the occasional tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich dinner (does that count or is cheese off the menu as well?). I can't say I am dying to try this but post a link to the menu and you might get some visits.

[iamjacobm]

The only real vegan meal I have is the occasional tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich dinner (does that count or is cheese off the menu as well?). I can't say I am dying to try this but post a link to the menu and you might get some visits.

http://www.modernloveomaha.com/menu/

I need to try it sometime, it just never crosses my mind. I have been told that the deserts are amazing here.

[U R my Helix]

Thanks iamjacobm,
Now I feel like I must go and try this place out. I would like the last item on the menu please ...... I have never had penguin before!

[iamjacobm]

Closing

Omaha, we’re closing. We’re really sorry to announce that we will not be renewing our lease when it expires in the summer of 2025.
But now’s not the time to be sad. It’s the time to eat your weight in Mac & Shews and nachos and celebrate the past 10+ years!
We’re really counting on your business to keep the party going. Our goal is to eventually open a smaller concept that gets us back to our roots, but that can only happen with your continued support over the coming months.
For now, we’re open and having fun. Be sure to check out our “All of Garden” menu this week. Oh, and don’t forget your Thanksgiving preorders!

[nebport5]

Modern Love Closing Next Summer

The vegan comfort food restaurant said it hopes to reopen in a smaller concept in the future.

Is it the goal of MTC to push out all of their tenants?

[omaha79]

Modern Love Closing Next Summer

The vegan comfort food restaurant said it hopes to reopen in a smaller concept in the future.

Is it the goal of MTC to push out all of their tenants?

Goal? probably not. But, the development has been a failure overall. Massive turnover. The generally poor economy hasn't helped. Despite what the media touted during the election season, the economy for small businesses has been brutal. it's only been good for large corporations and Wall St. And, the rent is still pretty high down there and I can't imagine you can make it work just being an evening and weekends restaurant. The lack of mutual employees likely makes this feel like tumbleweeds rolling down Farnam during lunchtime, which most restaurants count on.

[ChadJK]

I don't spend a lot of time at MTC, so take this with a grain of salt, but I just never saw the foot traffic down there. Perhaps in its early days or when there's a performing arts event in Turner Park, but generally no.

It is a bummer about Modern Love. I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I always wanted to go and check out good vegetarian cuisine. It's just never convenient.

[Greg S]

Modern Love Closing Next Summer

The vegan comfort food restaurant said it hopes to reopen in a smaller concept in the future.

Is it the goal of MTC to push out all of their tenants?

Goal? probably not. But, the development has been a failure overall. Massive turnover. The generally poor economy hasn't helped. Despite what the media touted during the election season, the economy for small businesses has been brutal. it's only been good for large corporations and Wall St. And, the rent is still pretty high down there and I can't imagine you can make it work just being an evening and weekends restaurant. The lack of mutual employees likely makes this feel like tumbleweeds rolling down Farnam during lunchtime, which most restaurants count on.

No matter the state of the economy, MTC has struggled to maintain tenants in good time and bad. I imagine the time between when Mutual fully exits and before what it replaces it opens, will be especially tough. Hopefully they come up with something to replace Mutual that will provide a major and improvement to the overall development.

Greg

[omaha79]

Modern Love Closing Next Summer

The vegan comfort food restaurant said it hopes to reopen in a smaller concept in the future.

Is it the goal of MTC to push out all of their tenants?

Goal? probably not. But, the development has been a failure overall. Massive turnover. The generally poor economy hasn't helped. Despite what the media touted during the election season, the economy for small businesses has been brutal. it's only been good for large corporations and Wall St. And, the rent is still pretty high down there and I can't imagine you can make it work just being an evening and weekends restaurant. The lack of mutual employees likely makes this feel like tumbleweeds rolling down Farnam during lunchtime, which most restaurants count on.

No matter the state of the economy, MTC has struggled to maintain tenants in good time and bad. I imagine the time between when Mutual fully exits and before what it replaces it opens, will be especially tough. Hopefully they come up with something to replace Mutual that will provide a major and improvement to the overall development.

Greg

Yes, I was told years ago, they specifically tried keeping certain types of businesses out initially. A couple fast food options inquired about going in there, but the developers wanted something more high end to cater to an affluent crowd that was never interested in living or playing down there. They kept the rent high as well to try to push towards this demographic. I can't remember who it was, but it was one of the "usual suspects" fast food restaurants that wanted to locate there, and MTC had zero interest. All of that was probably a mistake. They actively tried to dissuade people that lived in surrounding neighborhoods, who are more working class, from frequenting the area hoping for 35-60 year old business people. Those people just chose to stay in Elkhorn and Gretna and really have zero reason to go down there outside of maybe Jazz on the Green. All the while, the area in Blackstone flourished with a younger, hipper, and less affluent crowd, but their money spends just as well. Mitzi and Chet were never interested in coming to mid town.

[NEDodger]

I don’t necessarily disagree with that idea, as you want to differentiate yourself from Blackstone or Old Market. But if it’s just not working, you have to be a little more flexible…

[skinzfan23]

This is more about MTC instead of Modern Love, but MTC is a great thought, with great views of downtown and I am very glad it is there compared to what was there before. It was a wasteland of parking. But they couldn't keep the movie theater there, and several mid to upscale restaurants couldn't make it either. It just seems that there is so much turnover. From what I have heard the rent is not cheap, but as mentioned above, the foot traffic doesn't warrant the high prices.

Hopefully it will be reinvigorated once the streetcar comes online.

[omaha79]

This is more about MTC instead of Modern Love, but MTC is a great thought, with great views of downtown and I am very glad it is there compared to what was there before. It was a wasteland of parking. But they couldn't keep the movie theater there, and several mid to upscale restaurants couldn't make it either. It just seems that there is so much turnover. From what I have heard the rent is not cheap, but as mentioned above, the foot traffic doesn't warrant the high prices.

Hopefully it will be reinvigorated once the streetcar comes online.

So, instead, it's a "nice" wasteland of empty storefronts and a few random merchants just hanging on. It's basically a dead mall at this point and it's about 50-60% empty based on square footage. So, maybe it's a great thought, and maybe it's better aesthetically than what was there in the 90's to 00's, but empty is empty.

And, of what's left, I don't see anything that's bettering the development and pushing foot traffic from what's still there. The law firm isn't moving the needle. You Break, I Fix, isn't moving the needle. The Verizon store isn't a destination game changer. Chase Bank isn't bringing people down there.

I think there's a small chance that the streetcar can help revitalize, but honestly, this development isn't seen as a destination to anyone in Omaha anymore...unless Jazz on the green is happening. It's going to take a lot of work to change that perception.

[Renovator2559]

So much that I was enjoying Modern Love. As a person that eats a high alkaline lifestyle, this was one of my go tos. So many exquisite menu items to choose from! Modern Love was very unique to the Omaha area as a plant based restaurant.

Modern Love tends to be full in the evenings, unfortunately this wasn't enough to save the restaurant.

This and Coolgreens that closed in the Blackstone, puts us with 2 less healthy restaurants in the downtown area, quite unfortunate.

[ChadJK]

It looks like they've advanced their closing from mid-2025 to end of December 2024:

Omaha, it’s time. We’re CLOSING FOREVER at the end of the month. Sunday, December 29 will be your last day to eat our from-scratch vegan comfort food. We love you! We’ll miss you! And we hope to see you over the next two weeks!
Please check our website for updated hours. (FB link)