Flex Mussels

i've only be to the original one in manhattan, on the upper east side - but i believe the menu is the same, and much of the staff on 13th st started at the uptown branch.

the mussels are excellent - they prepare them 23 different ways, they have good oyster selections, and a killer pastry chef.

don't set yourself up for disappointment - it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy REPLY (2 Replies) (by thew, created April 12, 2011)

»Great place

Boy, I enjoyed this place. Great clam chowder and a great selection of mussels. My wife's mussels however were not cooked enough and she had to send them back to the kitchen for a quick zap. Nonetheless, I'd go back again real soon. (by tromeros, created February 7, 2010)

Checked out this place last night.

Pretty pleased overall with the food, although service was a little disorganized and slow (though i'm willing to forgive them since it's a pretty new place and it was packed on a Monday night).

Tried:
Raw Cooks Cove oysters ($2.50/each): A little pricey, but good size, very fresh
A pound of mussels cooked in the "Maine" style with white wine, lobster...+READ Checked out this place last night.

Pretty pleased overall with the food, although service was a little disorganized and slow (though i'm willing to forgive them since it's a pretty new place and it was packed on a Monday night).

Tried:
Raw Cooks Cove oysters ($2.50/each): A little pricey, but good size, very fresh
A pound of mussels cooked in the "Maine" style with white wine, lobster ($18): Mussels weren't cooked perfectly (a good number undercooked), but sauce was great and buttery, and they even put in two generous big chunks of lobster in the pot, which was a very nice touch.
One lobster roll ($18): Seemed much cheaper than Ed's or Pearl's. Flavor was lighter (less mayo, no capers), bun not buttery, but tasted fresh and I felt it it was a good value. Not sure if the other places have lowered their lobster roll prices now that lobster prices are at an all-time low.
Fish and Chips ($20): A piece of fried cod and a piece of fried haddock. Again, a little pricey, but good flavor, and you could really taste the fish.

Pretty happy with the food overall, will probably be back more often as they are in the neighborhood.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (21 Replies) (by kewlly, created December 2, 2008)

ok - i went on friday - here is the review i posted on another, often loathed by CHers, site:

23 kinds of mussels. i think there's other stuff on the menu too. but how can i even look, when the place has mussels in its name, and 23 kinds on the menu. sure someday i'll go for the lobster roll. or something.

the place is very stylish - i did not get as far as the main room, as i ate at the...+READ ok - i went on friday - here is the review i posted on another, often loathed by CHers, site:

23 kinds of mussels. i think there's other stuff on the menu too. but how can i even look, when the place has mussels in its name, and 23 kinds on the menu. sure someday i'll go for the lobster roll. or something.

the place is very stylish - i did not get as far as the main room, as i ate at the bar, but it looked ok from there. The front room was nice, minimal metallic, very new york. one side of the room was the bar, and the other side was counterish seating , high metallic backed stools and a brushed metal counter. (no linoleum, i assure you)

the place is new, and it is a friday night, so it was pretty packed, but they were very sweet and helpful creating a comfortable space at the bar when all the seats were taken.

bartenders are friendly, and seem competent, although i did not have a mixed drink, but the beer menu is fairly extensive, and i got a trois pistoles, a nice dark canadian ale.

the mussel choices were far flung.
a few that caught my eye include:
Abbey: belgian triple, caramelized onions, orange zest
Negril: red, gold and green peppers, jerk, lime, garlic, red stripe
Big Apple: apples, sparkling apple cider, button mushrooms, cream
Bombay: indian curry, mango puree, coriander, garlic, ginger, lime, white wine
Dubliner: guinness, toasted walnuts, caramelized onions
Green Fairy: absinthe, caramelized onions, sweet peppers, cream

there are many more (well 16 more) plus a 23rd that is the flavor of the day. (hail eris) i ordered #23. the special was a tarragon and black truffle sauce w/ a little cream. YUM. subtle well balanced flavors, not overly creamed, not aggressively spiced (i'm not against aggressive spicing, as you know, but this was a sauce that called for restraint).

ok - so why not 5 stars. 2 things really took that star off. 1) the serving size was a bit small. not outrageously small, not infuriatingly small just small enough to notice. Also the mussels themselves were not very large (i know they use p.e.i. mussels, are those typically smaller? i dunno)

2) the fries. they were a bit soggy, especially as i got further down the cup they were jammed in. they tasted good, but a fry needs to be crisp

the place is only a week old. hopefully these are kinks that will be shaken out,

i plan on exploring this menu. i see mussels in my future. (and suddenly i sorta want a lobster roll)-COLLAPSE / REPLY (21 Replies) (by thew, created November 23, 2008)