The Flatiron Building in New York City is an iconic structure that many people all over the US will recognize. Columbus has its own namesake Flatiron building, and although it’s shorter, it contains a great local restaurant that will still give you a good reason to visit. I recently paid the Flatiron Bar & Diner a visit myself, to see what their menu currently has to offer.
The first appetizer of the evening was the Catfish Nuggets with Remoulade Sauce ($5.00 during Happy Hour). The catfish was lightly battered and fried, giving it a great flavor without being heavy or greasy. The remoulade was a great dipping sauce, with a light pickle flavor and a touch of heat. The portion size was large enough for two people to share.
The Deep Fried Szechuan Chicken Wings ($5.00 during Happy Hour) was a plate of six wings served breaded and fried. The spicy Szechuan sauce was slathered on thick, and provided heat that continued to build with each bite. Overall, I’d say the heat level was around a medium-hot, so be warned if you like your wings on the milder side. The wings themselves were on the larger side, and quite filling, and the fried skin made for a nice crunch.
The Flatiron’s Pulled Pork Sliders (2 for $5.00 during Happy Hour) are topped with creamy cole slaw and a pickle on the side. The Flatiron prepares their barbecued meats from scratch with a smoker out on their back patio, and that really shines through in their pulled pork. The sauce used was tangy and sweet, with only a trace amount of heat, and the cole slaw added a nice acidic counterbalance to the flavor.
The soup special during this visit (a Monday) was Beer Cheese Soup ($5.75) served in a large bowl, and topped with scallions. The beer base comes through strong in the scent of this dish, but is much more subtle in the flavor. The cheese soup was semi-creamy with a consistency resembling a pumpkin or squash soup, and the flavors were bold and bright.
The Beef Brisket Sandwich ($8.95) include thin sliced brisket – almost thin enough to resemble a roast beef sandwich – which made for easy eating. The barbecue sauce on this sandwich was similar to the sliders, and again wasn’t very spicy at all. The buns are baked fresh daily at the local Eleni Christina bakery, and toasted for the brisket sandwich. I topped the beef with the side of creamy coleslaw, recreating the great flavor combination of the sliders. I could eat this dish every day.
Overall, there’s a lot to like Flatiron. Their use of local products and made-from-scratch menu items gives them a nice leg up over similar types of restaurants. Their interesting building and renovated patio make for a unique dining location. And their happy hour food and drink pricing can give you a compelling reason to check them out for an early dinner without breaking the bank.
Flatiron Bar & Diner is located at 129 East Nationwide Boulevard in Downtown Columbus. Their hours are Monday through Friday 11:00am to “late”, Saturday 5:00pm to “late”, and closed on Sunday. They offer free parking evenings and weekends. More information can be found online at www.FlatironColumbus.com.