Frank's Kitchen
I have been very fortunate to have travelled the globe, and eaten in some of the finest restaurants this world has to offer. I wouldn’t call myself a foodie, but I do love to eat. My boyfriend is often fond of telling me that I “live to eat” - it wouldn’t ever cross my mind to “eat to live”. I enjoy a wonderful meal out so much, but never so much as I do at Frank’s Kitchen.
Frank’s Kitchen is located in Toronto’s trendy “Little Italy” neighbourhood. It’s a small restaurant, and if it weren’t for its sunny yellow exterior, you’d probably walk right by it. A reservation is recommended, as it’s always very busy. Azim and I were lucky enough to get a table on New Year’s Eve, and had one of the most memorable meals of our lives.
We picked from a set menu, which included dishes such as seared scallops, mushroom and chestnut ravioli, rack of lamb, aged striploin, and more. I wish I had taken a picture of the menu because it was so impressive! No, you can’t find this one online, as it was created especially for New Year’s Eve. The menu seems to change with the seasons, and it is always a perfectly curated selection of ingredients turned into extraordinary dishes.
Throughout our meal we were presented with little plates to try, or amuse-bouches if you will. For me, this addition really makes the dining experience more special. We had oysters Rockefeller, a charcuterie plate with house-made fennel sausage and cheese, French onion soup, and goat cheese toasties. After our dessert choices of chocolate lava cake and lemon meringue pie, we were brought out passion fruit macarons, the BEST house-made chocolate truffles, and pistachio madeleines.
Frank’s seems to create and pair flavours like no place else. It’s reliably good - every single visit I’ve had has left me totally satisfied (and wishing for a bigger stomach to eat more). The service is also incredible. I remember the first time Azim and I visited, the hostess had accidentally mixed up our reservation so that we weren’t on the list for the evening when we arrived. The co-owner of the restaurant, Shawn (Frank’s wife), personally came over to ensure we had a table and make sure we were comfortable and happy. And then the hostess herself came back to our table to check on us, and apologize again for the mix up! The staff is attentive, friendly, and genuinely want to make your experience the best possible. It never feels snobby or chi-chi - a quality I abhor in other upscale restaurants.
I would recommend Frank’s to anyone, for any occasion, but I would specifically point you in the restaurant’s direction if you are looking for a special place for date night. If you want to impress you S.O. this is the place to take them!
If you’d like to know more about Frank’s visit their website here. I also liked this little video about Frank and Shawn, the owners.
Image of restaurant from Frank’s Kitchen website.