Flagship’s Latest Dining Concept Aims for Endless Summer Vibes
Story by Kyle Eustice.
Anthem
1205 Howard St.
(402) 507-4480
eatdrinkanthem.com
Flagship Restaurant Group’s latest dining concept, Anthem, sits on the southwest corner of 12th and Howard streets, the former location of Plank Provisions. With its prime real estate, exquisite interior design, vibrant Tex-Asian menu, and colorful cocktails, business is booming—despite the nightmare construction projects currently turning downtown Omaha into an orange cone maze. But Flagship’s Regional Operations Director Cole Carpenter isn’t sweating it. He, along with General Manager Reba O’Neal, are focused on making Anthem a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike.
Anthem was originally started in Austin, Texas, by owner/COO Anthony Hitchcock who wanted a restaurant deep-rooted in nostalgia. That theme followed him to the new Omaha location where surfboards and vinyl records line the walls. In fact, the Anthem website boasts an old photo of Hitchcock doing a keg stand in 1992, a throwback to his wild college days. As Carpenter explains, Hitchcock wanted that “party” vibe and the chance for patrons to escape their woes—even for just an hour.
“What we’re trying to create is a dining experience and an atmosphere where people are able to be laid-back and carefree in a really fun environment,” Carpenter said. “It’s kind of like a little vacation in the Old Market.
“When you’re in there, we want to bring back memories of being young, so you can forget about your job, bills, and whatever you got going on in life. It’s the feeling of endless summer nights and not having anything to worry about. That’s what we’re going for—a collection of nostalgia.”
The menu is as eclectic as its decor. From deep-fried crab rangoons stuffed with cream cheese, crab mix, and scallions (topped with Chinese mustard aioli and gochujang sweet and sour), to tiger-style sticky ribs and vegan curry cauliflower, the wide variety of adventurous dishes is unique.
“It’s Tex-Mex food with a lot of Asian influence, including Korean, some Japanese, and Chinese,” Carpenter explained. “The menu is really something you can’t find elsewhere. There aren’t really places that have all of these flavors ingrained throughout. It’s a really fun menu. You really have something for everybody. Anytime I’m in there and chatting with guests, a lot of people are like, ‘I haven’t really tasted anything like this before!’”
The cocktails are overflowing with flavor, too. A customer favorite is the frozen blood orange margarita which is made with El Jimador Silver, reposado tequila, blood orange, agave, and lime. Another is a prickly mojito made with Bacardi Superior rum, prickly pear nectar, lime, and mint, then topped with soda, while the EXSW (East by Southwest) margarita comes with El Jimador Silver, repo tequila, Gekkeikan sake, yuzu, lemon, and frozen blood orange.
Virgin cocktails are plentiful, too, one being the matcha colada. As the name suggests, it’s a spirit-free mix of matcha tea, coconut, and pineapple juice, though it can be served with rum. Of course, beer and wine are always another option.
“All of our cocktails are incredible,” Carpenter said. “They’re like vacation drinks. They’re fun and refreshing.”
The menu also caters to larger groups. The Pu Pu platters are enormous and can feed four-to-six people. There are two varieties that are priced at $40: The Cure—crab rangoon, hatch chili queso, salted charred edamame, popcorn chicken, and yummy fries—and The Cheat Code—thai curry fries, crispy wonton tuna tacos, flautas del sol, jalapeño mac poppers, and crab rangoon.
Beyond the food and libations, music is also often at the core of Anthem. A range of DJs provide the soundtrack on certain evenings and during weekend brunch.
“You can go out for brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and there’s a fun DJ that’ll be playing,” Carpenter said. “Whether you’re in your 20s or in your 40s and want to have a great time out, it’s a really cool place to be.”
Carpenter eats at Anthem whenever he gets the chance and is proud of the atmosphere Flagship Restaurant Group has cultivated.
“One thing that Flagship is really good at is catering to all kinds of diets,” he added. “We pride ourselves on being approachable to anybody, whether they’re gluten-free or vegan—whatever it’s a preference or an allergy. I’m not vegan, and our vegan curry cauliflower is one of my favorite things on the menu. It’s so good.”
