SWEET POTATO PANCAKE: with adaptogenic maple. Rhett Brinkley

Flora Jean’s, the new vegetarian restaurant from the three sisters who own downtown breakfast hot spot @ The Corner, has been easing into action with a soft opening over the past two weeks.

Sisters Leila King and Helen Grace King and their sister-in-law, Kamiya Merrick, acquired the former Andina Cafe space at 433 E. Third St. in late 2019. If it weren’t for the pandemic, the trio likely would’ve opened in 2020 under the name Henrietta’s.

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But as they operated @ The Corner through the COVID-19 pandemic, the sisters’ eating habits changed, Leila King said. “So we started researching and doing a lot of anti-inflammatory approaches to food just because I had no choice. This was because of health.”

King said they wanted to create a space for what they were personally craving in Little Rock. As for the name, “Flora” means plants. And the “Jean” part comes from the Tuf-Nut jeans that were manufactured in the historic building where the restaurant is located.

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When I first stopped by two weeks ago, King was loading plants into the restaurant, which is a very welcoming, cozy space with a unique, chill vibe. There’s a plant-filled atrium entrance with a green Flora Jean’s sign on the wall that guests are already taking selfies under.

Rhett Brinkley
ATRIUM: Flora Jean’s is winning the entrance game.

Rhett Brinkley

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The restaurant has an ideal natural light setting with large garage windows facing Third Street that will open up with the nice weather. The walls are painted over in splotchy earth tones, kind of resembling the perfect pair of naturally faded blue jeans. Smooth concrete floors are topped with custom-made banquettes and tables. There’s also a pastry case and an open coffee bar. A vault door that came with the space will eventually be an entrance to a private dining room, Helen Grace King told me.

Rhett Brinkley

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My waiter welcomed me with a carafe of water and asked if I would like some chlorophyll. “Yes, absolutely,” I said, before I had a chance to ponder what that meant. It’s in my contract at Arkansas Times to always say yes when waiters ask if I would like an addition or off-menu item of any kind. She pulled out a dropper and squeezed a few drops of liquid chlorophyll into the carafe, turning the water a shade of forest green. Allegedly, the liquid addition helps aid in detoxification and is good for the skin. It had no discernible taste, but I really enjoyed drinking it and nodded my head forward to myself, satisfied with how hydrated my body was about to become.

Rhett Brinkley
HYDRATION STATION: Chlorophyll water.

Following her advice, I decided to go with the sweet potato pancakes, a double stack topped with adaptogenic maple syrup, walnuts, coconut whipped cream and pomegranate seeds. King said that “adaptogenic” is anything that helps the body combat stress. In this case they infuse the syrup with a finely ground mushroom powder. “In essence, I did it because mushrooms are so good and vital for you,” King said. She said mushroom have neurogenic properties that combat nerve pain and nerve-related issues.

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Back to the pancakes, there’s no mushroom flavor that I could detect, if that’s what you’re thinking. However, there is a really nice sweet potato flavor and their texture was to my liking, soft and pillowy but firm enough to avoid a sponge-like quality. The pomegranate seeds were a perfect flavor addition and the coconut whipped cream was impossibly light. They were delicious without being overly sweet, and I didn’t feel any desire or need for butter or more syrup. I would definitely order them again. Helen Grace King told me not to get too attached, though, because they will be a seasonal addition to the menu.

Rhett Brinkley
SWEET POTATO PANCAKE: with adaptogenic maple.

I was so distracted by the chlorophyll water that I forgot to even look at the drink menu on the back side of the single-page menu. The chlorophyll water is listed under the water bar section of the menu, which also includes beauty water — 16 ounces of Mountain Valley sparkling water with rose water and beauty drops. I didn’t know what beauty drops were at the time, but I felt certain I needed some. Organic coconut water with lime and pineapple is also available.

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Separate from the more traditional coffee offerings is a wellness latte section, all made with plant milk. Rather than espresso, these lattes have base components like matcha, saffron, mushroom chai and turmeric. My server recommended the beet root latte made with beet root, rosemary simple syrup and almond milk. The drink was a lovely pink concoction, garnished with what appeared to be little dried rose pedals. It was very tasty, and because I’m a caffeine fiend, I’ll ask if I can get a shot of espresso in it next time.

Rhett Brinkley
LATTE HEART BEET: Beet root wellness latte.

After finishing the beet root latte, I polished off the entire carafe of chlorophyll water and have never left a restaurant so hydrated. And despite eating pancakes, I felt light and had energy when I got back to the office.

My next visit I decided to hit the water bar even harder. In addition to the chlorophyll water, I ordered the beauty water. Garnished with a rosemary sprig and an orange wheel, it tasted like a naturally floral soda. King told me that the beauty drops target inflammation with trace minerals such as magnesium, as well as Schisandra berry, lime and rose. They’re good for your skin as well, she said.

I ordered the Blue Jean Biscuits & Jam from the sharable section of the menu. The biscuits are made with buttermilk and butterfly peas, aka Clitoria ternatea, which are  blue flowers commonly used in Southeast Asian food and medicine. The butterfly pea addition gives the biscuits the appearance of faded blue jeans. Served with floral butter and orange blossom marmalade, the biscuits are fluffy on the inside, with a firm bite on the outside.

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Rhett Brinkley
BLUE JEAN BISCUITS

The beet & goat cheese salad was made up of fresh kale, candied beets, house super seed mix and a grapefruit vinaigrette.

Rhett Brinkley
BEET AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

As it should be, the beets stole the show and were nicely offset by the bitterness of the kale and vinaigrette. There were lots of flavors going on. All the salads on the menu are gluten-free, and of the three, the beet salad is the only one that’s not vegan.

There’s also a pantry case I’m excited to work my way through. The coconut macaroon I tried this morning was excellent.

The menu at Flora Jean’s is all vegetarian and it includes many vegan, gluten-free and non-dairy options. It’s made up of sharables, morning offerings and early afternoon offerings. In addition to the coffees, wellness lattes and the water bar, there’s a fresh juice menu, a selection of teas, and fresh juice cocktails. The orange juice and grapefruit mimosas are made with freshly squeezed OJ and grapefruit juice, a detail that just can’t be ignored since the majority you’ll find in town are not.

King told me that the sisters have had a blast creating this concept. “It’s been a rough two years for the whole world and for something to blossom like this after those really hard two years for us personally, I think it’s a win-win.”

The restaurant is still in a soft opening period. I should note that the crew is warm and friendly and excited to be there. It’s a unique addition to the downtown dining scene, and the vibe makes for a solid start to the day or a good midday stop to help you power through. And keep you hydrated, of course.

Flora Jean’s current hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Wed.-Fri. and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Rhett Brinkley

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