Flora, Oakland

I can’t believe I’d never been there until last night. But after an early aperitivo at the Punchdown, we were looking for dinner and decided to see if there might be a table. 2 bar seats later, we were set.

We shared:
(1) Fried smelts
(2) House-made mozzarella plate
(3) Burgers
(4) Caramel Pudding
(5) Ice cream w/blueberry sauce

We also shared a cocktail and a bottle of wine - oh yes, chicharrones with the cocktail.

All in all, a really good dinner. I don’t know what took so long to finally go other than that we’re rarely down that way at dinner time. Items 1, 2 and 4 were outstanding. Everything else was very good, including the Barbera that washed much of it down.

It’s a great place for adults who like a real dinner. First-rate on all counts.

mozzarella, prosciutto, Coraline chicory, Castelvetrano olives, Calabrian chiles, mint ($16)

local halibut, perfectly cooked ($30)

chicharron ($7)

stuffed cabbage ($13)

halibut ($30)

Drank a nice Vouvray.

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Buttermilk-fried rabbit with celery root remoulade, Treviso, and chile oil ($14): usually rabbit comes in very small portions, so we got two orders, but if we’d known what a huge portion it was going to be we would have shared one. Very delicate, didn’t have the slight bitter finish it often has. Both salads were great and I was happy to have that all for myself.

Perfect burger ($16), nice char, medium-rare as ordered, good flavor, great house-made bun. OK fries, third salad was also great.

rich greens (cream and bacon?) with OK fried onions ($7)

beets with horseradish cream ($6)

Drank a nice bottle of 2014 Dexter Lake Handlebars Red ($52).

The prices are so modest it’s easy to over-order, that was a ridiculous amount of food for two. Great meal.

Mmm rabbit, looks awesome.

Hopefully more and more places keep recognizing the wonders of rabbit!

Went for burgers the other night and I had a creative and original appetizer. I think it was described as smoked pork, but it was really more like a grand aioli, with beets, cauliflower, potatoes, medium-boiled egg, etc. with thin slices of pork in place of the usual salt cod. Very good.

Another pre-burger creative, original, and generously portioned appetizer: fried green tomatoes, roasted corn, green beans, cucumber, cherry tomato, red onion, watercress, and fried caper remoulade ($12).

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God damn it.