The Perfect Cure for a Hangover! (Frankie & Benny's)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Frankie & Benny's
Date:	05/02/04 (1121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Value for money, Great food, Relaxed atmosphere

Disadvantages: Dull lighting, Knives too blunt!!

Last Friday night, I made the mistake of sampling Gin for the first time. I liked it, therefore went on to *sample* a few more....with dire consequences. It obviously didnt agree with me and I was violently sick!

The following day I was feeling rough to say the least. My husband decided it would be the ideal opportunity (in his opinion) for us to visit Frankie & Bennys. Im not sure if it was because he knew I was feeling poorly - meaning I wouldnt want to eat much...therefore cheap meal! Or was it his way of torturing me even further - I didnt really want to leave the house so maybe it was his way of saying *serves you right for drinking like a fish!*

Anyway, I digress so back to the subject in question.....Frankie & Bennys.

We had never been before but often wondered what it was like. Its a chain of New York Italian restaurants that are situated throughout the country, usually located near retail parks on the outskirts of towns and cities.

The history of the restaurant lends itself to the whole theme and experience of the place.....

Back in 1924, Frankie Guilianis Italian family moved to New York where they established a restaurant based around *Mammas home style cooking*. Frankie went to the nearby high school and became friends with Benny. In 1953, Poppa retired and Frankie and Benny took over the business, combining popular American food with more traditional Italian dishes.


When you first enter, you feel like you have just stepped into a 1950s American (with a hint of Italian) eaterie. The decor is influenced by the era and I immediately warmed to the atmosphere. Although busy and bustling with customers, it didnt have an overcrowded feel. The seating, a combination of booths and normal tables, was well laid out meaning plenty of space surrounding individual eating areas. I could sense a general feeling of everybody enjoying themselves.

The aroma of delicious smelling food soon hit me and
all thoughts of a hangover quickly subsided. I couldnt wait to have a look at the menu!

We only had to wait between 5 and 10 minutes to be seated. This was perfect as it gave us chance to go to the bar and order a drink.....no alcohol for me though! Frankie & Bennys has a fully licensed bar offering a wide range of beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks. You dont necessarily have to go in for a meal either. If you fancied, you could just pop in for a quick tipple.


My husband and I were soon seated in a four-seater booth. Were they expecting us to expand that much??? First impressions were great.....comfortable, cosy and nice and clean.

Now, lets check out that menu!

Theres absolutely loads to choose from although I noticed that the number of starters available is quite small in comparison to the vast amount of main courses. The starters (or appetisers as they are called) range from a traditional tomato soup to stuffed potato skins. I persuaded our lad to try Frankie & Bennys Sampler Platter which is meant for two people to share.

Onto the main course....the combination of Italian and typical American dishes meant that it took me ages to decide! Pizzas, salads, sarnies, pasta dishes, burgers, various house specialities, you name it. Some of these sounded soooo yummy, for example; salmon and roasted pepper fishcakes; chargrilled pork fillet; vegetable risotto. I didnt know which to choose!

A couple of things to mention at this point are that I seem to recall that there were quite a few veggie options included in the menu. If you havent been to Frankie & Bennys before, I suggest you take a look at the full menu online....... www.frankieandbennys.co.uk ......to make sure you are not disappointed when you get there. Im sure you wont be though!

Anyway, after a quick eeny-meeny-miny-mo, I finally settled on pepperoni and mozarella stuffed chicken....only to find that my hubby had selected the ve
ry same dish. This was unfortunate as I usually like to have a taste of whatever he is having - much to his annoyance, Im sure!

We placed our orders with our designated waitress (who was also dressed to suit the theme of the restaurant). I must say she was a lovely girl and was very helpful, polite and friendly throughout our meal.


I must admit, Im not sure exactly how long it took for our starter to arrive but it seemed to take no time at all. Whilst we were waiting, we noticed the decor a bit more. The walls of Frankie & Bennys are adorned with American style memorabilia such as authentic looking photos of sporting legends and musical greats like Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin.

Even the music playing in the background adds to the overall ambience of the place. American jazz and songs from Old Blue Eyes really set the American diner scene. It isnt really the sort of restaurant that you would pick for a romantic meal but its definately a fun and relaxed place to eat with family and friends.

It was at this point that we also spotted the kitchen area. It is actually open to view and you can see the cooks at work. I was surprised by how clean their chefs whites were. No spills whatsoever. Perhaps they get changed every half an hour so that they always appear spotless!


When our starter was served we couldnt believe how big it was. The platter is one large plate full of calorific pick-me-up nibbles such as garlic and herb stuffed mushrooms, onion rings, chicken wings, corn on the cob, breaded mozarella chunks and stuffed potato skins. These also come with a selection of dips to add even more flavour. We both commented how nice it was....unusual too as its not the sort of thing either of us would normally order. It made a change to soup or prawn cocktail!

With the massive starter polished off, I got a bit worried as I was feeling rather full already. I was hoping that the main course wouldnt be ready too
soon as I needed a bit of a breather. With perfect timing, it arrived approximately 10 - 15 minutes later. This was just right as it gave the starter chance to settle and also meant that it didnt feel like they were trying to get rid of us.

It was very nicely presented and looked delicious to say the least. A decent sized chicken breast covered in a creamy cheese sauce. Stuffed inside the succulent meat were tasty slices of pepperoni....a really nice combination of flavours. The dish is served with vegetables ( a bit disappointing - two small broccoli florets) and either chips, mash or Italian Style Potatoes. I had opted for the Italian Style Potatoes although I didnt know what they were going to be like. It turns out that they are actually small cubes of spud which are roasted in a crispy coating and compliment the meal perfectly. In comparison to the measly portion of veg, these potatoes were generously piled high on the plate. There was so much that I couldnt finish it all!

Without fail, my other half managed to eat every last scrap....I dont know where he puts it all! Before I could say *delizioso*, the dessert menu was in his hand and he was choosing what to have next!!


Such a mouthwatering range of desserts - East Coast Sundae (comprising of toffee, ice cream, chocolate and marshmallows), Chocolate Brownie Meltdown ( brownie topped with choccie mousse, walnuts, and drizzled with butterscotch sauce), Lemon Meringue Roulade (lemon cream rolled in meringue with almonds and blackcurrant sauce). Heaven!

Could I squeeze a pud into the ever-expanding belly? I had my eye on a vanilla cheesecake but unfortunately, there was absolutely no way that I could manage another bite. On the other hand, hubby took great joy in ordering a Blueberry Muffin Sundae which did look rather tempting. He was very kind and let me have a teeny-weeny taste. Scrummy!


I dont think we have any complaints about Frankie & Bennys although wh
ile were eating, I will be honest and say that my hubby did moan a bit about the lighting. This was just a niggle though. The restaurant has quite subtle and subdued lighting which I think is nice as it compliments the atmosphere perfectly. He, on the other hand, didnt think it was quite bright enough. When we eat a meal at home, he has to have the *big light on* full blast so that he can see what hes eating. I always thought this was so he can make sure Im not trying to poison him but I must be mistaken. It obviously applies to wherever hes dining, no matter who has prepared the food!


Well, with the meal complete it was time to see the bill. I must say it was very reasonably priced at £36. To recap, this included drinks (a pint of coke each), one large starter to share, two main courses and one sweet. Bearing in mind that the food was great, and the service was excellent, we found it to be good value for money. We both said the we would definately like to go back.



So, two very important lessons learnt by me from this experience........

Number 1. Frankie & Bennys is a terrific place to eat

Number 2. Dont ever, ever drink Gin again!

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