I am not a lover of no reservation restaurants. I get it that it’s a problem for restaurants that people book and don’t show, what I don’t get is why people do this. I mean, I understand that sometimes people are sick or something important happens, you get stuck in the office. I don’t get the booking multiple options and not cancelling your booking, don’t be an asshole, people have to make a living and now because of you other people have to stand outside and wait for a table rather than booking in advance.
T and I first went to Flat Iron on our Christmas girl date, after drinking wine and watching ballet. This would normally be a good combination had the Coliseum not been approximately 100 degrees inside, anyway that is another story. We liked it, a lot, and decided to go again.
We met KB in the queue and left our names on the list. The waiting system works so well at Flat Iron. You give them your number, you go off and drink wine nearby, they text you when the table is ready, you down your wine and leg it there hoping your ten minutes haven’t expired.
As seems to be the tradition when in this neck of the woods, we went to Champers and enjoyed some wine while we waited for our table which was ready in almost exactly the 45 minutes we were told it would take.
I love the simplicity of the menu at Flat Iron, they offer the flat iron steak, five sides and four sauces, one dessert. Beautiful.
In addition to this they offer one or two specials, but that’s it. Tonight specials were the Flat Iron burger at £10 and a New Zealand Wagyu picanna steak at £18, which is we were told the Argentinian name for rump.
The wine list is equally concise offering five reds, three whites and two bubbles.
On arrival we were presented with several cups of their delicious popcorn, which is completely moreish.
KB went for the budget while T and I split the flat iron and the picanna. All of this was accompanied by beef dripping chips, creamed spinach and three sauces, bearnaise, peppercorn and Fred’s.
Steaks are served on boards with their signature cleavers, perfectly cooked.
The picanna was very good but I’m not sure for me it was twice as good as the original flat iron but I do always find it interesting having different cuts to gather as you do really get to taste the difference in the cuts. Sides were delicious.
We finished with their only dessert which for me is sensational, I could eat this every night, chocolate salt caramel mousse. Served in little tin cups at your table straight from an aerator, like a can for squinty cream. It is amazingly rich, yet light and serviced with a little pot of rock salt. I sometimes dream about this, ok I often dream about this.
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Flat Iron does exactly what it says it will, and does it well. With a new East London branched opened in Curtain Road, there is real danger of me popping in just for dessert.
