Flex Mussels- When You Want To Flex Your Stomach Muscles!

There isn’t much to say about Flex Mussels except that it’s got to be one of the most fun places to dine on the Upper East Side – and one of the best places in the city to get mussels! It’s located on 82nd Street between 3rd and Lex. Some refer to the area as 82nd and Flex – and after dining there…we know why! To be perfectly honest, Flex Mussels did not put their startup money in decorating the place. Though it’s brightly lit, it has no windows on the interior, with the only artistic touch being the pictures of Prince Edward Island circling the walls.

But, one doesn’t go to Flex Mussels for the ambiance – it’s for the food! To start, we shared an appetizer called “Burnt Fingers” – crispy fried calamari, shrimp and battered oysters with a spicy aioli dipping cream.

It was a great way to start the meal,  and the perfect appetizer that complements their extensive beer and (affordable!) wine selections.  But the real highlight of this place is the elaborate mussel list.  There are over 20 different kinds on the menu, so there’s a flavor for everyone. On a recent visit,  we decided to try the “Parma,” which is made with fresh parmigiano cream, meyer lemon, scallions, toasted garlic, and shallots, the “Acadian,” which is made with gumbo sauce, shrimp, and andoulle…

and the “San Daniele,” with prosciutto, caramelized onions, white wine and garlic.

All were positively delicious; the mussels were perfectly steamed (not at all rubbery) and the sauces were soo good that we savored every last drop by dipping the entire bread basket into them!  Never ones to pass up on dessert, we had to taste the homemade individual donuts. You get to choose the different donut fillings, and you get four kinds for $9.

We tried the Chocolate and the Fluffernutter (the night’s special) fillings which were amazingly good. We also tried the strawberry shortcake special, which was basically fresh strawberries with whipped cream sandwiched between a freshly baked scone and topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

It was light, flavorful and a delicious way to end the meal. We absolutely recommend Flex Mussels for a tasty night out – but, hey, don’t just take our word for it, you must try it yourself!  Get ready to to flex your stomach muscles on this gastronomically intense workout! It’s just the kind of workout that will keep us Magpies going back for more!  And just so you know, there’s another one opening this summer on West 13th Street. So the next time you want to flex your muscles…give Flex Mussels a shot! And FYI – don’t fret if you can’t stomach mussels, there are many other options on the menu to choose from!