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Omaha Eats: Modern Love (A Review)

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A restaurant review of Omaha’s first vegan restaurant, Modern Love.

modern loveI have never been so eager to write a restaurant review in the almost two years that I have been blogging!  When I first found out that an all vegan restaurant was opening in Omaha, I was so excited.  When I found out that it was Isa Chandra Moskowitz who was opening it, I was ecstatic!  I knew the food would be delicious and I could not have been more thrilled about the fact that vegan-friendly restaurants have begun making a statement here in the Midwest.

modern love 2Modern Love opened on August 5th.  Their reservations were booked pretty solid for the first week or so and I was thrilled to be able to snag a table for four during their second week in business.  Erin, Joanna, Jordan and I met in Midtown for a girls night out filled with delicious food in the perfect atmosphere.

modern love 4Isn’t the decor the cutest?

One thing that I do have to point out in this picture that we didn’t love was how small the water glasses were.  They do provide you with a pitcher of water, but we all agreed it would be nice not to have to refill it after just a couple of sips.

modern love 3I was very overwhelmed when I first saw the menu.  As a vegetarian who eats mostly plant-based, I am used to going to restaurants that only have one or two choices on the menu that are veg-friendly (if I’m lucky).  So to have a menu where I could literally choose anything that I wanted was pretty much unheard of for me.  The girls can attest to the fact that I went back and forth several times when deciding what to select for my entree.

Despite some indecision, I think we were all very happy with everything that we ordered.

modern love 5Joanna ordered a peach lemonade which she graciously allowed me to try.  It was delicious and not too sweet or fake tasting.  We definitely enjoyed it.

modern love 6Joanna also ordered the Farmer’s Hummus for an appetizer.  The roasted garlic hummus was paired with a crispy flatbread and fresh vegetables including carrots, cucumbers, radishes, artichokes,and tomatoes.  It had a bit of a kick to it, but in such a good way.  We all really enjoyed it.  And while I love vegetables, I have to say that the flatbread was my favorite part.

Erin also ordered the Stuffed Zucchini Blossom appetizer, but more on that one later.

modern love 7Our entrees came out a short time after our appetizer plate was cleared.  Jordan ordered the Beet Burger Royale which came on a homemade bun that was paired with a side of potato salad.  As soon as I saw her plate I was slightly envious.  I am a major beet burger lover so it is definitely right up my alley.  Jordan really enjoyed it and I cannot wait to try it soon.

modern love 8Joanna ordered one of their more popular dishes, the Mac & Shews.  This dish contained a mac and cheese made with cashew cheese sauce, pecan crusted tofu, kale, and barbecue cauliflower.  I love that they paired cheese and barbecue- two of my favorite sauces!  Joanna let us all try the tofu and I must say that it was perfectly cooked.  Tofu can either be so good or so bad depending on how it is prepared.  Modern Love definitely knows how to make tofu the right way, and honestly I would expect nothing less from them.  I am excited to order this dish in the future.

modern love 9Both Erin and I ordered the Polenta Romesco.  Our gorgeous big white bowls came out with grilled poppyseed polenta, chickpeas, potatoes, and kale in a red pepper almond sauce.  Everything was topped off with roasted brussel sprouts- one of my favorite veggies right now.  All of the veggies were delicious and hearty and the sauce was spot on.  Erin and I ate until our bowls were clean!

modern love 10And can I just say, how cute is it that the polenta was served in the shape of a star?  Those little extra touches really make a dish go from good to great.

modern love 11I mentioned earlier that Erin had also ordered a second appetizer for our table.  She ordered it when we ordered our entrees.  Unfortunately, they seemed to have a little bit of an issue with the timing on this appetizer.  We received our entrees and finished eating the majority of them before the second appetizer arrived to the table.  Our waitress was incredibly good about the situation and luckily we were in no hurry.  We were understanding about the fact that this was only the second week that the restaurant was open and that they likely had a few kinks to work out.  Most of us were stuffed so we did not have room for this one, but Erin tried it and said it was delicious.

modern love 13Modern Love also offers several dessert options depending on what has been freshly baked in house that day.  Most of us did not have a single ounce of room left for dessert (so wrong, I know!).  But Erin ordered a slice of berry and peach pie to go.  I, of course, was loving the star details on this one too!

modern love 12After two hours at Modern love, we left with full bellies and happy hearts.  This was the perfect place to come with girlfriends and I cannot wait to take Jeremy next time he is in town.  I was the only vegetarian in our group, but every one of us loved our meal.  It is so fun to share with others how delicious, hearty, and satisfying vegan food really is.  It turns out that we don’t just eat salads!  Despite the timing issue with the appetizer, we were so happy with our first experience at Modern Love.  The food, the atmosphere, and the people were so right on.

Modern Love changes up their menu based on what is in season.  I am so excited to see what will be available the next time I go.  I have a feeling it will be much sooner rather than later.  We are also very excited for the Fall and Winter seasons because we know that one of our favorite vegetables- squash- will be in season and will hopefully be making an appearance.  I mean really, could there be anything better?

Omaha folks: Have you eaten at Modern Love yet?  If not, you need to!

Have you ever eaten at an all vegan restaurant?

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{ 14 comments… add one }
  • Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies August 19, 2014, 6:49 am
    It's so exciting to go somewhere and actually have options -- now that I think about it, it's pretty sad that more places don't cater to vegetarians/vegans! I'm lucky enough to have a place that's 80-90% vegan one town over but I always make sure to seek out the vegan places when I'm in a bigger city.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 19, 2014, 7:27 am
      Yes, it really is unfortunate that there aren't more. Luckily, though, it seems like more places are starting to remember that we do exist! I am sure 10 years ago it was MUCH more difficult to find vegan/vegetarian-friendly restaurants!
  • Joanna @Makingmine August 19, 2014, 7:24 am
    Oh my goodness - I want to eat it all over again! Also, reading through this, I sound like the hungriest person ever, haha! Look at everything I ordered! It all sounded too good not to try! ;) Joanna @Makingmine recently posted...warrior dashMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 19, 2014, 7:28 am
      No way... you were just being incredibly generous!! Plus, when you are at a place like Modern Love, it is tough to NOT want to order everything! ;)
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul August 19, 2014, 9:00 am
    Such a good review! Ahh I want to go back soo badly! I loved everything, and the fact that there is a restaurant like this here in Omaha. Vegan food is delicious! Erin @ Her Heartland Soul recently posted...Our Staycation at Hotel Deco XVMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 19, 2014, 9:36 pm
      We are so blessed to have this restaurant now! Omaha is rocking out when it comes to good food :)
  • Amanda August 19, 2014, 4:48 pm
    Hubby and I just went to our first vegan restaurant while on vacation in June, and then went to another one a few days later. It was awesome! Like you said, it was so nice to be able to eat ANYTHING on the menu. Hopefully they continue to spread - they seemed to be everywhere in California. Amanda recently posted...Me + Poison IvyMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 20, 2014, 3:13 pm
      I think we are so lucky for what we DO have. I imagine that 10 years ago it was MUCH more difficult to eat vegetarian or vegan out at a restaurant!
  • GiGi Eats August 19, 2014, 9:04 pm
    While I am not a vegan, I am glad that people are opening up to the world of different eating habits! There are so many vegan restaurants in LA it's not even funny! They also have tons of gluten-free restaurants too, which is pretty sweet! GiGi Eats recently posted...Enjoy These Bananas on a HammockMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 20, 2014, 3:14 pm
      That is SO cool! I have not been in California since between a vegetarian, but it sounds like I need to go back!
  • Claudia August 20, 2014, 3:32 pm
    Consequently tasty! That seems irresistible. Claudia recently posted...Jak dobrać dla siebie buty ze skóry?My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 20, 2014, 9:07 pm
      It was deeeelicious!!
  • Restaurants Geelong December 12, 2023, 1:03 am
    Your review about Modern Love in Omaha provides a detailed and engaging account of the dining experience. The personal touch to the review by describing the ambiance, service, and, of course, the food. The inclusion of mouthwatering details about specific dishes and the overall atmosphere at Modern Love makes the review a helpful guide for readers interested in trying out this restaurant in Omaha.
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