During one of our walks with JJ in North Park, we noticed that Truffle Neighborhood Cocina had been replaced by a restaurant named Flora. After doing a bit of research, I found that the place was dog friendly, so we decided to head on over for brunch one morning.
The outdoor area, while on busy University Avenue was separated from the sidewalk traffic by planters.
We were greeted and seated in the nice patio area. The folks working here are wonderful, they immediately brought JJ some water while delivering our menus. He got served before us! Like I said; there's a difference between "Dog Allowed" and "Dog Friendly". Flora is definitely in the latter as the Servers came out to meet and greet JJ.
I think I've been out of touch with regards to breakfasts and brunch. There was Shashuka on the menu; one of my favorite dishes. We'd end up having Shakshuka three times in two weeks! When did that become mainstream?
The Missus got the Avocado Toast ($18), which came topped with poached eggs (a bit overcooked) and a pile of arugula.
Taking a closer look we noticed that the mashed avocado (the Missus prefers slices) was turning a bit brown. The highlight of the dish for the Missus was the sourdough which was toasted to crisp perfection.
Of course I got the Shakshuka ($17). The menu said the eggs were "sunny side up", but these seemed to be have been just cracked into the tomato-bell pepper sauce right before serving.
The toasts were again really good. The tomato-bell pepper compote was over processed and runny; I prefer something more rustic and thicker. It also lacked the seasoning I like; cumin, smoky tones, harissa, herbaceous flavors, and garlic. This had a decent acidity, though I'm not quite sure about feta cheese in my shakshuka. I really wasn't expecting anything close to what we had in Tunisia or Jerusalem, and I tend toward Tunisian style Shakshuka when I make the dish at home. But this was just mediocre to me.
Of the three versions we had; this was my least favorite. We were told that they use sourdough from Bread and Cie and also that the ownership is the same as when the place was Truffle Neighborhood Cocina. The Missus told me the interior of the restaurant is quite nice; but I didn't have a chance to check it out. And to be completely honest; I'm more about food than the "vibe".
We enjoyed the service and JJ had a nice visit to the park afterward as payment for being a "good boi" while we ate.
Flora
3021 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours:
Sunday 8am – 3pm
Mon – Wed 9am – 3pm
Thurs – Fri 9am – 3pm, 4pm – 10pm
Saturday 8am – 3pm, 4pm – 10pm