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I tried to spontaneously go to another restaurant on a Friday evening and when i got there they told me they were booked out months in advance but "why don't you try Flores"? I called Flores with no expectations, they'd just opened for the day and i spoke to the owner, a very kind gentleman that told me they'd be able to find me a seat at the kitchen bar and to go ahead and come over. When i walked in, out of the corner of my eye i spotted the Michelin green star. I was going for a quick bite but oooh, things are changing now!
I was greeted by the owner who i spoke to on the phone, a super friendly silver haired man, showed me a couple of choices and i sat down at the very corner of the kitchen bar, out of everyone's way, in a comfortable bar stool with a little candle, directly looking into part of the kitchen. Watching the chefs cooking and plating all night was like watching ballet. Plus i had a preview of what was to come. The owner told me they have a set menu, to choose how many courses and to choose wine or house made juice. I selected six courses and juice, I was asked about dietary restrictions, told them gluten and dairy free and the experience commenced. Three and a half hour meal where every dish is your favorite until the next one arrives. The dishes were thoroughly explained by the excellent staff who spoke great English. If the Michelin distinction was not already a hint you quickly understand that everything is fresh, locally sourced, sustainably farmed and they use every edible part of an ingredient. The juices were all home made, extremely but refreshingly unexpected - made of flowers, baked hay, fermented carrot peels, sage, camomile, strawberry, rhubarb, buckwheat, smoke, tomato, sweet potato, Douglas fir, I mean absolute brilliant insanity. The dishes kept on coming and they each had some exquisite twist. The charcuterie of dried and fermented vegetables - amazing. The textures, the flavors.. I already love beets and carrots but they served them to me three different ways and i just sat there in disbelief of how amazing they tasted. Even something as simple as a gluten free bread roll with a flaky salt and oil made of onion peels served as an appetizer was a triumph. A hazelnut cream with a base of three kinds of green beans/peas topped with local fruit, edible flowers and delicate herbs with a dairy free sauce was like eating spring, i don't know how else to describe it. I thought that was my favorite, but then the crawfish came, i could have eaten an entire bowl of it. For sure that was going to be my favorite, i thought, but then the chicken came. Juicy, sauced to perfection, with a patch of crispy sweet skin. That's the highlight of the night, right? Wrong! The ice cream nestled in crispy black currant leaves with juniper was like a punch in the face but in the best way. A flavor explosion that just put an exclamation point on the evening. And all that for a very affordable price allowing me to leave a big tip as well. A little piece of delicious sugar cone came with the bill.
Here's the bottom line. Incredible experience. The food is inventive, planned, prepared and plated to perfection, the drinks are surprising and flavorful without being sugary. Rich adventurous flavors, interesting textures, unexpected combinations and drink pairings. Locally grown, sustainably sourced, incredibly delicious. The service is absolutely stellar, they all seem to love working there. The owner is a lovely person. The pacing is great, the amount of food is perfect. The entire experience was more than fantastic. I hope to return some day and find they now have 3 Michelin stars. They surely deserve them. Well done, Flores, well done!
