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| - Being a fan of Gordon Ramsey's show "Kitchen Nightmares", I can't help but try to think what Gordon would say if he came to a particular restaurant. And I'm sad to say, this place would definitely elicit a good ol "Bloody Hell" or a "F*** Me!!" out of the expletive prone chef's mouth!
The main issue with Frank and Pauly's is that there is a massive disconnect. There is a disconnect between the Building (Old world/old fashiioned and trying to be luxurious), the service (lackadaisical/mediocre), the food (Meh... I could microwave frozen dinners just as good) and the prices (Holy Mackarel! $14 for that ravioli! And $5 for a side salad consisting of a weeny bit of lettuce and blue cheese?!)
Man, Gordon would go to town on this place!
Frank and Pauly's really wants to be the place you go for a nice upscale date. A luxurious evening out in town. Maybe even a place you take your business clients to impress them! It's a historic landmark of the US and beautifully kept! So why do they serve you a menu which feels like it's aimed at kids? And why does everything about the restaurant (not the building, mind you) feel so cheap? The menu feels plasticky, the food is bought out in oversize plates from the 80s and the lighting makes the place look dull and drab.
The food could have been a saving grace, however, it just simply isn't. It's not bad... just not good either.
We had a Shrimp appetizer (was ok.. couldn't really complain about anything except the price - $12 for what seemed to be 6 previously frozen shrimp) followed by a Cheese ravioli in a marinara and a Penne vodka.
I could forgive the obviously microwaved frozen ravioli or a boxed penne if the sauces had been amazing. But the marinara tasted like Hunts tomato Puree with some garlic, parsley, onions and salt, while the Vodka simply added some cream, vodka and peppers to that.
All in all, not a place I would go back to!
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