Yet another gem in the cache of Downtown Ventura restaurants, My Florist brings an interesting mix of elements to the table, from baked goods to sushi, live music to flowers. And, of course, a cubist statue named Flash. Photos by Stephen Schafer.
“Our goal is to be that third place in people’s lives—
a concept that basically disappeared after World War II,” explains David Lacy, the owner of My Florist Café & Bakery in Ventura. “People were either at work, at home, or at a third location, like a bridge club or bowling alley. We want to be that other location for Ventura.”
Lacy, an affable man, wears a black leather jacket and jeans, and his gold-flecked eyes glimmer as he describes the concept behind My Florist: “What we do here is extremely simple—that goes for the food, the presentation, and the service.” Lacy himself dines out every meal and knows what he expects as a diner. “I don’t want to be insulted by a large bill,” he says, “and I don’t want to be served anything mediocre.”
The menu at My Florist comprises classic flavor combinations with a twist, and many dishes marry an unexpected mélange of ingredients. The chicken salad sandwich with cashews and apples is served on sunflower bread with blue cheese, and the brie plate (their most popular appetizer) comes with olive bread, sliced apples, and a cranberry jalapeño chutney. Each dish highlights one of their fresh bakery items, and soon they will add French onion soup served in a sourdough bowl and vegetarian chili to the menu.
Because the bakery drives the entire kitchen, cooking at My Florist is an unusual occupation—one that doesn’t involve a stove. “Can you make breakfast without a frying pan?” was one of the first questions Lacy asked John Wilson, the general manager of My Florist. Lacy liked that Wilson had both culinary and managerial expertise, and the two immediately teamed up. “David and I have the same beliefs about what food and a restaurant should be,” explains Wilson.
My Florist looks the part of those avant-garde restaurants one finds in a major metropolis, but the concept behind the design wasn’t to create a cutting edge, city ambience; rather, it was quite the opposite. As Lacy puts it, “If I could attract a 35-year-old housewife to come in here alone and feel perfectly comfortable ordering a glass of wine and pulling a book out of her purse, then I’d know I’d hit it.” With that in mind, he kept the space clean, light, open, and airy. The chairs, he notes, are “wider than average and very comfortable,” and the music, “must add energy to the room but not be so loud that patrons can’t visit.”
Music is a central component of My Florist. As we spoke, a pianist ardently auditioned on the glossy black eight-foot Blunthner. A camera and microphone tucked into the skylight can project images of the featured performer on the wall of the outside courtyard, as well as the plasma screens in the bathrooms.
Each month, a variety of entertainment will be brought in. Chris Fossek of Santa Barbara plays classical Spanish and flamenco guitar on Thursday and Friday nights. In February, Sniper 22B, a funk-piano duo from Birmingham, England will perform for two weeks.
The long-delayed opening of My Florist had Venturans scratching their heads in wonder about this new addition to Downtown. And there is one remaining mystery, which patrons can hardly ignore: a huge cubist statue named Flash. Lacy found the statue at an antique store and had it reconditioned. “I like that the style of the statue matches the architectural style of the building,” he says. Flash has evoked a peculiar response from people in Ventura. “Customers like to pat him [on the butt] when they come out of the restroom,” Lacy quips with a devilish grin.
My Florist recently started serving full breakfasts, with such offerings as eggs benedict on house-made ciabatta toast, a proscuitto and mushroom frittata with fontina cheese, and fluffy, fresh-baked brioche French toast. March will see the addition of a full bar—and sushi. The bakery plans to start wholesaling breads to other restaurants, and there are designs for a flower kiosk. Though the variety sounds rather ambitious, Lacy says they will follow their core business philosophy, continuing to “do a few things well.” 
02-01-2008
