Located in the space previously occupied by Oriental Phoenix Flatiron is tucked in behind three other restaurants The Toad ’N’ Turtle Hooters and Heidelberg Haus. I’m sure just a few months ago opening a new medium- to high-end place in northeast Calgary seemed like a grand idea. Unfortunately the economy tanked so fast there could be a food bank in the same spot within the year.
Our group of four arrived on a crisp Wednesday night about 6:30 p.m. and were welcomed inside by two hostesses. We were quickly shown to a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. The room is decked out in greys and blacks with red accents and the bar glows red like a welcoming beacon. There is also a two-sided fireplace that runs along a dividing wall between the lounge and the restaurant that our three-year-old was enamoured with the entire meal.
We ordered a couple of appetizers to start. I tried the Moroccan lamb quesadilla ($12.50) my wife tried the crispy mushroom risotto ($12.50) which she shared with our boy. My buddy Steve who tagged along for the adventure opted for the Thai sweet potato and chicken soup ($10).
The quesadilla was well-prepared and a nice twist on the standard. The meat was spicy enough to add personality and there was enough cheese red peppers and onions to balance the taste nicely. It came with two options as sides: a cumin minted yogurt and some tomato jam. The yogurt was nice and mellow offering a welcome contrast but the tomato jam was forgettable.
The crispy risotto came in golf ball-sized spheres filled with wild mushrooms fresh herbs asiago cheese and tomatoes and topped with a red pepper emulsion. The bite I tried was OK but nowhere near as good as the soupli I sampled a few weeks ago at Da Paolo Ristorante (see review at ffwdweekly.com ).
The soup was well received and had just the right amount of spice and heat. Consisting of Thai red curry coconut milk chicken stock fresh cilantro and pieces of chicken it was a nice winter soup.
For our dinners both Steve and I ordered eight-ounce AAA New York steaks ($28) which came with a choice of four sauces: Béarnaise creamy peppercorn cabernet-thyme jus or grainy mustard browned butter. I went with the Béarnaise and Steve tried the peppercorn.
Both steaks came on a bed of mashed potatoes that were creamy and well seasoned with a side of green beans and parsnips. The steaks were cooked to our preferences and were quite tender. Overall I didn’t find any major flaws with the dish but I wasn’t really impressed either.
Sarah and our boy shared the ultimate grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich — made with aged cheddar fontina brie and smoked prosciutto on multigrain bread ($15) — with the Thai chicken soup as a side. While it looked good and did get a positive reaction from both of them without the soup the dish would not be worth the $15.
For dessert we split the cookies and cream served three ways ($12). Three scoops of ice cream were offset by a chocolate chip cookie a piece of shortbread and a brownie. It was a good size for sharing but some people could easily tackle it alone.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Flatiron until it finally hit me: it’s Earls part II. It just makes sense. Chef Michael Noble has been involved in developing the menus at both places and I can’t blame him for taking a proven formula modifying it slightly and then redeploying it elsewhere. There aren’t as many options as Earls but it’s all from the same vein.
