Great Food and Good Times

by Chris Becicka

What happens when you take a long-time Mexican restaurant on the Plaza, completely redo it in elegant-comfy-chic, add two small baby grands, and turn the food over to Vic Fontana, longer-time KC restaurateur legend?

You get Frankie's. If I count all the meals I've eaten (both from my and my companions' plates) at this relatively new Plaza restaurant, it's about ten. If the great food critic supervisor in the sky forced me to rate restaurants on a one to ten scale, and if allowed to forget one salad dressing too heavy on the vinegar, I'd have to give this restaurant nearly a ten, too. But I'll get to the food in just a minute.

You know those two pianos? Every Friday and Saturday night, Frankie's breaks away into a rollicking bar and music scene. Two excellent pianists start "dueling," taking requests, and the young crowd drinks, sings, maybe dances and enjoys the cacophony of yelling into each other's ears. Yes, I'm old, I admit it. But all this doesn't start ‘til ten--so you have plenty of time for a delicious meal, served well.

We took that early option first. We had the anniversary dinner--a full meal was $25 and there were two choices.

I had that salad, a good sized and tender lobster tail on risotto, and a scrumptious oozing chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream. My portly friend had Yukon potato soup flavored with avocado oil, a perfectly done filet on a Portobello risotto fried cake properly dowsed in a brown reduction sauce, all of which just melted. As did his crème brûlée. Despite our being too full, those perfect desserts slid down blissfully.

That was such a happy experiment, we brought our friends who own the Stone House B&B in Brookside, ready to determine if Chef Jeff Worden, most recently of Café New Yorker and associated often with Fontana, could do four superb meals. He did, beginning with the simple but too often disappointing fettuccine Alfredo. My chubby companion has extremely high standards here, all of which were met. He added a chicken breast (balancing his carbs, you know) which was flavorful and moist for $16.

Friend John, who loves steak more than Italian food, opted for the filet, this time with a béarnaise sauce and garlic whipped potatoes. His plate was spotlessly clean in short order. His wife Janice went for the Wasabi Caesar salad with a blue cheese dressing and since we'd first gobbled down the lobster and shitake pot stickers, and helped ourselves liberally to delicious sesamed bread, declared virtuously that was enough.

I, of course, believe too much will power weakens you, so I chose the special that night, some truly excellent ossobuco which was scrumptiously flavorful and tender. Served with crisp-tender green beans and those mashed potatoes (but do try the special risottos) and resting in its saucy pool, it was a feast for eye and stomach--and the next day's meal as well. We finished with two desserts--I had excused myself for a minute and all I can tell you about them is that my friends looked really happy and not very guilty.

Lunch time is now reserved for business meetings and corporate events. The restaurant seats 80 on the bottom floor, 45 above. "The intent is to make customized menus available with both privacy and flexibility at a reasonable price," explains Chef Worden. At all times, the extensive bar with a moderately priced wine and about 20 wines by the glass are available. Happy hours are afternoons and evenings after 9 p.m. and wine dinners and special events are frequent.

Frankie's location, past both barbeque and hamburgers, is not one you stumble upon in your quest for souvenirs. But, you should take that little walk and end up there--it is a great value, great fun, and great food. It's the Plaza, without the disadvantages.

Frankie's Chef Jeff Worden showcases the restaurant's fare at one of KC's truly fun dining and entertainment establishments.