Frank

Annabelle Goodman —

I was so excited to be going to see the new Alex Colville show at AGO. He is one of my favorite artists and this was a preview show for members. I can never go to the gallery without stopping at Frank for lunch. The décor is worthy of an art gallery. I love the colored glass top tables. I always sit at the top level so I have a view of the large sculpture and the Walker Court below. It is also less congested and less noisy. The servers are all delightful. They are pleasant, patient, smile and are so good at their job. This always enhances the experience.

317 Dundas St West – 416 979 6688

I could have told you days before that I would be enjoying an Omelette. They are always superior in taste. It wasn’t even on the menu on this day but there was no problem. Cheddar and goat cheese mixed with tomatoes made for a creamy tasty filling. The omelette was perfectly done. The small roasted potato was a gourmet delight. Thin slices were cut into the potato. (Not all the way through) It tasted as if a generous sprinkling of oil infused the potato. The roasted potato became crunchy and tasty. Loved it all. The side salad was fresh and the vinaigrette dressing was light and flavorful. There is always Pasta special and a Vegan dish. Every item is served in a different shaped white dish. I always want to take the dishes home. Even a little side sauce comes in a charming little white pitcher. A glass of wine is served from an individual beautifully shaped carafe. It is all done in a first class style.

The Frank Hamburger seems to be a big winner because I notice a lot of them being delivered to the tables. 6 oz. of ground organic beef is used in preparation. Fiore de latte, tomato chutney and bacon, top it to make it even more delicious. On this day the Daily Soup was most popular as was the Watermelon, Feta Salad. It looked so fresh and tasty.

My lunch companion opted for the Tandoori Calamari with tomato pickled onion salad. The grilled orange on the side added great flavor when squeezed on the crispy calamari. A side of tamarind sauce was great for dipping.  She also ordered a Green Salad to compliment the calamari and complete the lunch.

Shrimp Ceviche is served with toasted crispy corn, mayo sauce and fried plantain. Grilled Salmon was considered and will be my order next time. Vine ripened tomatoes, black olive tapenade, sorrel, basil puree and green beans make it all sound most inviting.

I was actually happy that their Lemon Tart was not available on this day because I would have had to order it. It is always so fantastic. We did weaken and enjoy the Wild Blueberry Crumble with coconut ice cream. A lovely sauce prepared with wild blueberries added a few calories and an abundance of taste. Who cares about calories when the food is so outstanding?  We were totally satiated and waddled to the exhibit. My friend was delighted with her double Espresso and I always enjoy the perfect Macchiato.

We waddled to the exhibition and declared it all to be a perfect day.