Flat Iron (Denmark St), London

Flat Iron is one of my favourite cheap eats in the food mecca that is Soho. I became an instant fan when I visited the original Baek Street branch last year. Where else can you get a sublime flat iron steak for a tenner? I’m not surprised at the success and Flat Iron recently expanded with its second outpost on Denmark Street in Covent Garden.

I was intrigued with the Yorkshire wagyu burger special with truffle hollandaise. The restaurant frequently tweets enormous cuts of meat of which they butcher in house. The burger was recommended rare by staff and that was perfectly fine by me. A huge stoking burger was presented on the same boards on which they serve the steak. The outside of the burger had a nice charred crust and the truffle hollandaise oozed out the side, simple presentation but very tempting and inviting.

The outside of the burger carried a dark char and I wondered about the meat inside, but I needn’t have worried as it was perfectly pink and rare inside. It takes some skill to do this as my attempts at home tend to completely overcook the meat in the middle. The burger was moist yet without leaking juice all over the bun. The truffle hollandaise was light without overpowering the delicate beef which obviously was the star, simple great, fatty, beefy goodness. My burger of the year so far, well worth the £15 asking price for the quality.

Mrs Nom was a Flat Iron virgin before the visit and she went for the signature steak. After amusing herself with the mini meat cleaver knife she was amazed by the well-seasoned, rare flat iron steak presented to her. She couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed it as she’s not usually a steak kind of girl. To balance the protein we had a nectarine and fennel salad with dill vinaigrette.

A little except on the bottom of the menu kindly asks customers to not pinch the novelty knives as the business expends a great deal to source quality meat and providing it at low prices which would be not be possible if they incurred avoidable costs. At £10 for a quality flat iron steak, it must be one of the best meat cheap eats in central London.

MASH, London

Over the last few years I have walked past MASH on Brewer Street in Soho hundreds of times without knowing what it was or what they served. It was only when I saw a retweet of an offer for half price steaks in celebration of the Danish parent restaurant in Copenhagen turning five. From the outside the corner site is unassuming, however on entering the Apple computers and clean and modern reception suggests that some serious money was spent on the decor. As we were lead downstairs to the dining room we were shocked at the size and spacious grand interior. The ceiling is very high with a stunning bar area. A paradise within the hustle and bustle of Soho.

Looking over the menu beforehand the Danish American steakhouse offers a variety of dry aged Danish, Uruguayan, American and Australian cuts of beef. The latter being two different grades of wagyu with ambitious prices for 200g servings. The steak that caught our eye was the 1.3kg American Omaha porterhouse, a t-bone cut from the short loin with tenderloin and strip steak either side. This was ample for the two of us to share and we asked for it medium rare and a monster grilled two inch thick slab of meat was presented to us whole at the table before being carved tableside. it was certainly the biggest steak we have tried to date.

The tenderloin was perfectly juicy and tender, simply a very good steak that cut like butter. The strip steak being on the smaller side of the bone was more medium than medium rare was equally juicy but offered a greater depth of flavour, owing to being more cooked. We ordered sides of chips, the house mash with bacon and sauteed mushrooms along with a pepper sauce. The star of the show however was obviously the porterhouse, we don't often go out for steaks but this was worth it.

Whilst being a very enjoyable steak the place is at the higher price range, the porterhouse usually sells for £95 so to try it for half price was a bargain. I guess the extravagant interior and location don't come cheap and have to be paid for, book a table this July whilst the offer is still on and make the most of it.

Flat Iron, London

People who work around Soho are spoilt for choice when it comes to lunch and dinner time.  Taking advantage of working in Soho I noticed Flat Iron. A small steak joint selling flat iron steak as the name would suggest.  We strolled down one lunchtime and decided to indulge.  On arrival we were presented with a mug of popcorn.  The cutlery also resembled a mini meat cleaver which was a bit quirky.

The menu consists of flat iron steak and a special which was beef brisket on that particular day.  Set on the steak before visiting it was advised to have it served medium rare which is how I usually prefer it anyway.  A range of sauces were available and I decided on the peppercorn sauce.  The steak was served on a stone slab and certainly looked inpressive, juicy and pink as it should be.  The steak certainly lived up to the taste test, wonderfully seasoned and tender.  I dread the usual lunchtime sandwich after having this.

Being a lunchtime treat we shared a portion of chips.  Whilst the steak was great value at £10 we only realised the accompanying side salad mentioned on the menu was forgotten about.  The chips could be better but it was all about the steak.