Flex Mussels

When do I ever get up to 82nd St on the east side? Hardly ever, but found myself in the mid-70s this eve and luckily remembered an oyster shucker that I had read about in the NYer a few months back. Oyster shucker is gone, but the mussels still abound. Kudos to the Flex for expanding the boundaries of what you can do with mussels and, btw, at about $1 a lb, kudos to them for figuring out the right restaurant business model in a recession. Nevertheless, I likely will not be going back. My reasons: 1) 82nd St., b/tw Lex and 3rd 2) Too bright and slightly college cafeteria looking (give me cozy, comfortable, den/lair-like or glam, elegant; FM has some appeal, but ultimately sterile) 3) Mussels, while extraordinary sounding on the menu, are only slightly better than average. If you go, try the "Southern" - lobster stock, bourbon, corn & bacon and heavy on the butter. And, for me, ask them to bring the oyster shucker back!