A Peachy's Pick Since 2015 In Manhattan: Flinders Lane @FLINDERSLANENYC Summer 2018 by Chris McPherson and Chris Rendell - STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT THE AUSTRALIANS ARE KILLING IT! #FLINDERSLANE Be There, Stamford!
Chris Rendell and Peachy Deegan
Majestic Grilled Hanger Steak sourced from Australia by Executive Chef and Owner, Chris Rendell
You know you'd rather be sipping a gracious Australian red at Flinders Lane than being at your desk right now, so we are reminding you to book your table.
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and you know that by now.
We learned that from Mover and Shaker Rennie McQuilkin, once Peachy's English teacher and now the Poet Laureate of the State of Connecticut. Really. He is so awesome that his students become writers like our classmate Mover and Shaker Chrishaunda Lee, and she loves Connecticut so much she went to college there too.
The greatest new aspect of the State of Connecticut is that you can also eat at Flinders Lane there too, in Stamford with Owner Chris McPherson at the helm while Owner Chris Rendell is master of the kitchen in Manhattan's East Village. Manager Alan Bickerton runs the front of the house in New York with fantastic sommelier suggestions.
In summer, you want to be somewhere beachy, and as a country Australia excels in beaches, so you want to go to Flinders Lane, uber-authentic with these owners straight from Melbourne. Flinders Lane excels in fine Australian cuisine, and they are better than anyone else in America at it; it is named after the lane in Melbourne, Australia.
Nothing says summer like the boys from Down Under.
They were first featured in early 2015:
and they also earned a spot in Peachy's Picks in 2015:
Of course their press page is just stunning:
White anchovies dying to swim into your stomach!
It is salad time in the city, and one of the best across the board is the Kale Salad here, complete with white anchovy evocative of gorgeous elegance. Dotted with flavorful pecorino, the Kale salad is indeed fresh and dressed beautifully in lemon dressing that is natural and delicious. Even when it is too hot to eat, you will be happy to eat this.
A special when we visited was the phenomenally refreshing Watermelon Salad, which is the best watermelon salad you can get in Manhattan. It's like eating a party with all the pizzazz: from the festive pickled watermelon rind, brilliant in itself, to the feta marinated in lemon to the seeded texture, Chris Rendell's creation is the epitome of summer.
The Burrata, sourced locally, is another beacon of freshness ready to wow your stomach.
Going to Flinders Lane, you learn that you even like Thai Basil when it is accenting the burrata with an anise flavor and baby heirloom tomato. The burrata is the ferrari of mozzarella if you are previously unfamiliar and the creaminess will tantalize your tastebuds.
Even the grilled bread is magnificent.
You almost hate to eat it because it is so gorgeous.
The basil seeds star in this dish also.
The basil seeds star in this dish also.
The Fluke Crudo sings another song of summer in your stomach and is a brilliant rainbow of flavors that meld together beautifully. Lesser venues try too hard to come up with something trendy and lose sight of the fact that many flavors that come together actually have to taste great together. Flinders Lane is philosophically aligned with our culinary vision and our tastes, and the dishes here are created with the ultimate in both good taste and creativity balanced perfectly. Here, avocado, grapefruit, radish, and pickled watermelon rind all accentuate the Fluke Crudo.
Look at those terrific chunks of crab meat!
If someone does not do well on a review we do not publish on them, and Peachy is wicked crabby as a result because dinner matters. She prefers to be wicked crabby by actually eating crab, and the superlative perfectly al dente Angel Hair Pasta with amazing chunks of crab meat dancing in it puts some of the best Italian venues to shame. Local crab is sourced and we absolutely adored the garlic accents, as Peachy is definitely a garlic monster. Chili and baby arugula further elevate this dish which is perfect for the hot season.
Succulent and Juicy, the Grilled Hangar Steak is irresistible waltzing in its chimchurri with grilled shishito peppers and roasted heirloom carrots, which Chris personally goes to the market in Union Square three times a week to pick the best and brightest. The supreme carnivorous endeavor also comes from Australia, further highlighting the authenticity. Every bite will bring a huge smile to your face and it is just delicious.
It triumphs over some of the best steakhouse steaks.
A classic creme brulee is the perfect closing.
Flinders Lane is among our favorites and it continues to be Highly Recommended.
