The Flat Iron Café–Heart of the Flats

Over the years, Cleveland’s flats have gone through a lot of changes: t

he East Side is hot, then empty; the West Side gets the Powerhouse and Shooters; condos are built and filled; heck even the famous Cuyahoga River fire, but through it all the Flat Iron Café just keeps going, dishing out welcoming food and drink in a warm atmosphere.  It had been a while since I had checked the Flat Iron out, so when a Groupon (Groupon Site is here) came up for it, I grabbed it and have been waiting to use it for a while. 
The Flat Iron is located at 1114 Center Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113 right across the street from the Center Street Bridge (the swing bridge) and underneath the Detroit Superior Bridge.  The nicely kept triangle shaped brick building is a perfect reflection of the comfortable Irish tavern inside.  Once inside you find a comfortable bar and restaurant with lots of dark wood, plenty of green highlights and just enough decoration to feel welcomed without being overwhelmed.  As opposed to some of bars around town which feel a need to show how Irish they are, the Flat Iron is comfortable in its own skin.  The bar along one wall provides a nice place to grab a beer and just relax.  The two slightly raised dining areas along the windows are comfortable, with plain wooden chairs and tables.  
Service is friendly and attentive, without being overly familiar.  My waitress was helpful and seemed to know just the right level of attention to give her customers.  The menu quickly arrived (you can see the menu here), and is filled with the items you expect at an Irish Pub, done very well.  With $20 to spend on my Groupon, I figured on getting the Perch Sandwich (especially with my waitress recommending the Perch), a side of the Pierogies, and from the special board a cup of the Seafood Jambalaya. 
If you have been reading C-Town Eats, you might have noticed that I like my soups, they are a chance for a place to really hit you with some nice flavors or a bit of a different twist.  After checking that it didn’t contain any sausage or other meat, I was very happy to order the Seafood Jambalaya which was one of the highpoints of my meal at the Flat Iron. First I have to say that the portion size (I ordered a cup rather then a bowl) was extremely generous; with a nice sized crock stuffed full of a thick and spicy goodness.  The Jambalaya had nice portions of fish and shrimp and an overabundance of bay scallops, all of which were tender and flavorful.  With some nice bits of vegetables for contrast and the perfect level of spiciness, this was a great way to start my lunch. 
Next up was the Fried Perch Sandwich, with a side of pasta salad.  Once again the portion size is very generous, with 5-6 fillets of perch served up a couple of slices of rye bread and a large heaping of pasta salad.  The perch were wonderful, with the mild white fish lightly breaded and perfectly fried, set off with a very nice tarter sauce and a squeeze of lemon, this is one of the better fish sandwiches in town.  The pasta salad is surprisingly good, nothing unique, but the flavors are nicely balanced and there is enough acidity to add a bit of brightness.
Finally we come to the Pierogies, which the menu describes as the best in Cleveland according to AOL Guide in 2004 (which may say something about online guides as much as anything); while the Pierogies are good, they come nowhere near those at Babushka’s Kitchen (http://c-towneats.blogspot.com/2009/03/babushkas-kitchen-polish-powerhouse.html) or Sokolowski’s (http://c-towneats.blogspot.com/2008/10/sokolowskis-university-inn-cleveland.html).  What I did get was four nice sized hand made pierogies topped with grilled onions and cheese with sour crème on the side.  The dough for the pierogies, was good and tender with a nice potato and cheese filling that was a flavorful, but a bit dense.  My personal preference would have been to leave the onions in longer strips rather then the fine chop that the Flat Iron used, as they tend to stay a bit moister and add a better texture to the dish.  While I wouldn’t rate these Pierogies as tops in the city, they are certainly better then most and they will fill you up without a doubt.
I left the Flat Iron very satisfied and very well fed; this is a place that is doing standard food, but doing it with care and some obvious culinary skill.  The portions are large and the flavors are bold and well balanced.  The atmosphere is comfortable and friendly, there is not much more you can ask for.  Billed as the oldest Irish Pub in the flats, the Flat Iron should continue to be a long running Cleveland success.  Rather then trying to ride some trend or fad, the Flat Iron provides a perfect example of what an Irish Pub should be.  This is an easy and strong recommendation to give the Flat Iron a try.