Karen JohnsonPhilly Blogger, Food blogger, Jenkintown Dining, Jenkintown dining, Flora, Food blog, Restaurant Q&A, Vegetarian Montgomery County Restaurant, Dan Brightcliffe, Jenkintown Vegetarian Restaurant, Vegetarian Restaurant, Flora Q&A, Foodie, Jenkintown Restaurant, Montgomery County Restaurant, Interview with Flora, Vegetarian food, Philly Food Blogger

Dan Brightcliffe of Jenkintown's Flora

Karen JohnsonPhilly Blogger, Food blogger, Jenkintown Dining, Jenkintown dining, Flora, Food blog, Restaurant Q&A, Vegetarian Montgomery County Restaurant, Dan Brightcliffe, Jenkintown Vegetarian Restaurant, Vegetarian Restaurant, Flora Q&A, Foodie, Jenkintown Restaurant, Montgomery County Restaurant, Interview with Flora, Vegetarian food, Philly Food Blogger
Dan Brightcliffe of Jenkintown's Flora

Please introduce yourself and who are the individuals (staff, owner, etc) behind Flora?  My name is Dan Brightcliffe and I am the managing owner of Flora Restaurant and our chef is Eliza Robinson.

When did Flora open? We opened in late November of 2014.

Were there any challenges faced during the early months of opening?  After we opened there were a number of challenges we faced, mainly getting the word out about the restaurant and just figuring out how to run a restaurant successfully.

There aren’t many vegan restaurants around. How responsive has the community been since Flora’s debut?  The community here in the Jenkintown area has been very supportive, many people found out about us through our affiliated restaurant, Leila's Bistro and decided to give us a try and have become regular customers. Outside of the Jenkintown area, I've noticed that the vegan community is very supportive. They want to see vegan restaurants survive and be success and are willing to travel to show their support and try new places.

How would you best describe the food here? Seasonal vegetable cuisine.

Flora offers a seasonal menu. Do you have any personal favorite dishes here (offered on the current menu or from a past seasonal menu)?  That is a very tough question, my favorite dishes change all the time but as of today I'd say my favorite dishes from our current menu are the Irish Potato Boxty and Ragout of White Beans and Artichokes.

Are there any specials offered that aren’t listed on the menu? Tuesday-Thursday we offer an a la carte priced menu in addition to our regular prix fixe menu. We also offer a special 7 course Chef's Tasting menu for parties of 2 Tuesday-Thursday for $70 per person Tuesday-Thursday, which includes a completely original 7 course menu catered to your tastes. Other on going promotions include:

Taco Tuesday - Every Tuesday, we offer tacos three ways as an entree option in addition to our regular menu.

Keswick Theatre - 1 free dessert per table with purchase of an entree with proof of a ticket to that day's show at the Keswick Theatre. Promo is available Tuesday through Saturday.

Hiway Theater - "Dinner and a Movie" special, 3 courses for $25 per person with proof of a ticket to that evening's movie. Promo is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Have any other restaurants inspired Flora’s cuisine from a competitive standpoint? Flora's cuisine is mainly inspired by the seasons and what vegetables are available, as well as by our chef's travel experiences.

What contributions do you hope Flora brings to Montgomery County’s food scene?  We hope to show the Montgomery County food scene that it is possible to have a delicious and satisfying meal that focuses on vegetables and doesn't include any animal products.