Flora

Flora Restaurant Review:

Anyone seeking a hearty dose of retro hip need only head to Flora, where old-fashioned cocktails flow, bartenders sport suspenders and even the silverware features Art Deco accents. In what was once the Oakland Floral Depot building, stemware has taken the place of natural stems and a vibrant young crowd stands in for the blooms. The tables at Flora are almost always packed, but the bar is the center of the scene and it sets a lively (and loud) tone for the entire restaurant. Cocktails, such as the signature Corpse Reviver #2---a refreshing mix of gin, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, lemon and absinthe---are artfully prepared. For all the abounding trendiness here, the cuisine tends toward simple and comforting: bar snacks include caramel popcorn and corndog bites; mac 'n' cheese appears as a side dish; and burgers are one of the more popular entrées. The more imaginative choices seem like non sequiturs and are often over-salted. A too-salty crust ruined our flaky salmon on pea-and-leek risotto, and we barely touched the thirst-inducing chanterelles with our roasted lamb in fava bean purée. The dessert menu features ice cream treats from local favorite Ici, but the salted caramel pudding is hardest to resist, despite an overzealous sprinkling of (what else?) salt flakes.