THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
The last time I threw a big dinner party, I asked all my guests if they had any dietary restrictions. What a mistake!!! I had 2 vegans, a dairy-free pescatarian, nut, prawn and gluten intolerances and one guest on the Paleo diet! I wanted to slit my throat. Flat Iron seems to have circumvented these dietary difficulties quite easily. They serve steak. Like it or lump it!
Founder Charlie Carroll opened his first shop in 2012 with the objective of serving great steak at a price everyone could afford. 11 years on, his 13th restaurant has just opened in Cambridge, the first outside of London. It seems they’re likin’ it!
The menu literally has one main course on it. The Flat Iron Steak (£13). There are 6 sides to choose from. No starters. No desserts. There are however, daily specials: a burger which I expect is a permanent feature, and a Wagyu sirloin which had already sold out at 7pm. So flat iron (or featherblade) it was, and happily so. This cut of beef comes from the shoulder, and though not considered prime, it is flavorful, meaty, juicy and tender. The steaks are cooked sous vide and then charred to order. Mine was a perfect medium rare and my glam guest’s well done as ordered.
We splurged on wild mushroom sauce at £1.50 a pop. It was a light, tasty cream but to be honest, the steak didn’t really need it. The same went for a smoked chilli mayo (£1) but this was quite good with beef dripping chips (£4) which were crisp and flavorful. Garlic mash (£4) was livened up with mini croutons of crispy bone marrow. Creamed spinach (£3.50) had just enough cream to hold it together, keeping it lean and green.
A glass of Marques De Reinosa, 2018 Rioja Reserva (£10) was surprisingly good. 100% Tempranillo, it had a good balance of fruit, spice, oak and soft tannins.
Service was super friendly. Think local pub. The whole vibe is one of easy comfort. Popcorn is on the house and on the way out, so is a cone of soft serve. Brown butter vanilla was right up my alley!
I enjoyed my trip to Cambridge and though I can’t say the flat iron was the greatest steak, I can say it was good quality and locally sourced. You’re unlikely to find better for £13! And the next time I throw a dinner party, I’ll just print the menu on the invitation and see who turns up!
