Entertainments | Restaurant Reviews | Frankie & Benny's
HARSH rating? Maybe, but on the night I was at Frankie and Benny’s the staff committed the cardinal restaurant sin - leaving up to an hour between serving courses.
Granted, this was a Friday night when every man and his dog had seemingly popped in to try out the New York Italian cuisine.
But if you build a restaurant capable of seating well in excess of 100 people, it’s hardly unfair to expect enough waiters and waitresses to staff it. That said, there were many plus points about this eating out experience.
First off is the cracking authentic US bar greeting thirsty punters get before they’ve even managed to get their coats off. Exciting cocktails and an incredible selection of beers and spirits got the night off to a swinging start. It also made waiting for a table far more pleasurable!
Decor is also imaginative, if not altogether original. Photographs, newspaper cuttings and signs depicting great movie and sports stars of the good old USA adorn the walls, and the open plan layout creates a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Even the music was played at a reasonable level keeping noise, bar the plethora of screaming kids for the early evening sitting, at a reasonable level. In addition to the normal tipples, there is a fair selection of wines to choose from. Just make sure that, unlike me, you choose something a little more mainstream or you could be disappointed to discover its out of stock.
Meals are priced in the £5-£12 main course bracket, making them more than affordable. There is a surprisingly wide selection, all based on the ‘authentic’ New York/Italian recipes ‘just like momma made’. But most of what arrived before us, however neatly arranged on the plate, was rather watery and lacking in flavour.
It was also luke warm having been sat under heaters for the best part of a Judy Garland album. Having espied it straight off the grills, I could have served myself if only I’d remembered to bring a pair of oven gloves!
So it was we lurched off with a growl and the tip secure in my wallet. But don’t get me wrong. The staff were courteous at all times, and having done my stint in the gaudy colours of my former local restaurant many moons ago, I sympathise with the ‘Indians’.It was just the ‘chiefs’ at Frankie and Benny’s who were in need of a reminder about what good service is all about. ** Richard Parker
