Modest Rogers in Uptown Closes

Modest Rogers on Fairmont Street just off Oak Lawn Avenue announced Monday it has closed. Owner and chef Modesto "Mo" Rodriguez ...

By Lauren Drewes Daniels

November 1, 2022

Image: The plancha-cooked quail is wrapped in Jamon Serrano.

The plancha-cooked quail is wrapped in Jamon Serrano. Angie Quebedeaux

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Modest Rogers on Fairmont Street, just off Oak Lawn Avenue, announced Monday it has closed. Owner and chef Modesto "Mo" Rodriguez made the announcement via Instagram, thanking everyone.

"With a heavy heart we have decided to close Modest Rogers," the post reads.

We swooned over the Venezuelan spot last November. Thoughtful dishes were served in a cozy and intimate space, and we were excited to add the restaurant to our list of favorites. Chef Rodriguez is an El Centro culinary program alumnus with Nonna and Carbone's Fine Food and Wine on his resume. With the encouragement of his wife, Kathy, he started cooking food from his native Venezuela with a pop-up, Mo's Plancha, then got the opportunity to open this spot last year.

But the math didn't work. Rogers told The Dallas Morning News that even on busy nights, the small space couldn't turn enough profit to keep up with constant repairs. This summer he expanded to Saturday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. but that evidently wasn't enough.

The restaurant's Instagram page is full of posts about temporary closings (nine total), some for maintenance. In his final post, Rogers also cited challenges caused by the pandemic.

For now, he has no plans for another space, writing in the post "the future is unclear."

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Lauren Drewes Daniels is the food editor of the Dallas Observer. She started working as a freelance writer in 2013 and became editor in 2021. She covers Dallas' evolving dining scene, the many openings and closings as well as trends and breaking news. She oversees annual lists including Top 100 Bars and Top 100 Restaurants and contributes to the Best of Dallas. If you have a tip about an amazing pastry, pie or taco, let her know.

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