Adam & Eats: Frank’s Italian Restaurant and Grill

I don’t know about you, but, frankly, I am sick of Asian food and barbecue. It seems like we’ve been eating nothing but those two cuisines for months now.

Granted, there are a lot of those restaurants in the area.

Combine them with the ever-expanding chains of Tex-Mex joints and we could talk about them for years. Let’s not, shall we? I figured it would be a nice change of pace to eat something different every once in a while. So, on this week’s adventure we’re giving Asian, BBQ, and Tex-Mex the boot. The Italian one.

Located comfortably in the shopping center that has sprung up in the shadow of the Walmart Supercenter in Van Buren, is Frank’s Italian Restaurant and Grill. Rumor has it that Frank and Joe, as in Joe’s Pizza and Pasta, are brothers. I can’t say for certain, so I won’t say any more about it. If that intrigues you enough to actually do some research, please let me know what you find out. My email address is located somewhere on this page.

Back to Frank’s. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, but also that of an upper class restaurant. Not the kind of place that you’d wear a shirt or Big Smiths to, but that doesn’t stop me or anyone else from the looks of the clientele. Regardless of our shabby attire, the waitstaff at Frank’s is friendly and helpful, and glad to offer recommendations or explanations of dishes.

If you are expecting speedy food, this is not the place for you. Not that it is slow, per se, but it does take a little bit for your food to arrive. If you are in a hurry, you should probably reconsider. Don’t worry, there’s a KFC/Taco Bell right up the road. If, however, you would like to sit down to an excellent meal and enjoy the company of others, you’ve made an excellent choice.

The food at Frank’s isn’t amazing or life changing, but it is really, solidly, and consistently good. A few recommendations are in order.

The pizzas are great, but let’s be honest, there are better pizza places around the area. But, if you must have pizza, go for the Frank’s Special. It is what we would call in the common vernacular a “supreme” and it is damn tasty.

There is also a Frank’s Special pasta, which would be called “supreme” if there was such a thing in the pasta world. It consists of chicken breast and sausage sautéed with bell peppers, ham, and black olives, then mixed into a white wine cream sauce, add a splash of marinara and dump all of that into a bed of spaghetti. The effect is really quite pleasant. Although, it does leave you with an aftertaste of a Kraft single lingering around in your mouth. Strange.

If spaghetti is your thing, the spaghetti with sausage is excellent, but for the most part it is just your typical, really well made, spaghetti.

If you are anything like me, and you can’t decide what to order, go for the pasta sampler. This baked combo of ravioli, manicotti, and lasagna is heavenly. But what about dessert? The cappuccino cheesecake is fantastic, but not nearly as good as, and it pains me to say this, the secret lemon cake. Yes, they have a lemon cake that is not on the menu and it is out of this world.

If you find yourself in Van Buren and in need of a nice place to sit down for dinner, why not try out Frank’s. You’re bound to have a good time.

Until next time, good eating to you and yours.