Frankie & Benny's in Southend
By Philip Harrison
THERE aren’t many restaurants these days that consistently offer value for money as well as exceptional food, but Frankie & Benny’s in Southend’s Southchurch Road is certainly one of them.
A Fifties-themed chain, Frankie & Benny’s is known for its rustic Italian dishes and lively atmosphere, so I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to visit the Southend branch last week and test out the part Italian, part American cuisine.
Upon entry, it was obvious that the Fifties-diner theme is a big part of the brand and as my guest and I were welcomed into our booths, I took the moment to relax and fully appreciate the warm lighting, friendly smiles from staff and catchy music.
However, my attention soon turned to the menu and within minutes I was tucking into a delicious garlic pizza bread topped with mozzarella cheese (£3.85) to start.
It was a hard decision though; there’s plenty to whet your appetite on the menu.
From pizzas and pasta dishes to steak and burgers, this place knows its audience and I can bet that even the fussiest of eaters will find something on the menu to tickle their fancy.
I eventually plumped for the New Yorker Calzone (£9.25) – a pizza folded over and sealed including a mix of pepperoni, ham and mushroom in tomato sauce – for main. And, after some prompting, my friend chose the 6oz Steak and Fries (£9.95).
The steak was done to perfection with authentic American fries meaning that what started as a quick taster of her dish ended in me stealing a good portion of her chips!
My Calzone meanwhile was something new and really worked well with a tomato sauce, which complemented the dish but wasn’t too spicy. Both courses came in at under £10, which for the quality and freshness of the food, was impressive. As was the service.
I’ve lost count of how many times our waitress returned with drinks, sauces and menus – and fear I may have missed a pair of roller skates being used to ensure all her customers were happy!
For dessert we ordered the Banoffee Sundae and Brownies & Ice Cream but on arrival we decided to swap dishes, with jealousy getting the better of both of us!
Having swapped to the Brownies I was rewarded with the mix of warm, gooey brownie and cold chocolate ice cream reminding me this ‘food critic’ stuff isn’t exactly taxing work.
The Sundae got similar rave reviews from my friend as she tucked into a seemingly endless mix of cream, ice cream, honey comb, banana and toffee.
With drinks on offer throughout the night the meal still came in at under £40, which for three courses of authentic and filling Italian/American food was an absolute bargain.
For more information, or to book a table in Southend, visit www.frankieandbennys.com or call 01702 460 732.