With tasty, affordable food inspired by venerated celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, and a salubrious decor and atmosphere inspired by jockey extrodinaire and co-owner Frankie Dettori, Frankies Italian Bar and Grill is a real treat.

The Venue
Frankies decor is superb. As you walk in you’re met by an Art Deco-style reception with a pianist playing jazz standards on an old upright. The Art Deco theme continues, but is mixed with a kind of ‘60s glitz kitsch that’s as much Vegas as it is Blackpool. Sounds weird, but it works! With dimmed atmospheric lights, huge mirror balls on the ceiling, frilly drape table cloths and gilt-edged, bevelled and mirror-lined walls, you immediately feel you’ve arrived somewhere special. The effect is at once impressive and accessible, and it seems a lot of thought has been put into making everyone feel at home in this venue.

The Atmosphere
If the mood of this place is much like the personality of pint-sized Italian jockey and co-owner Frankie Detorri - friendly and full of energy. The staff are attentive, recommending highlights from the menu and bringing everything on time, though a few more waiters for a party of ten might have nice. The overall volume level of conversation in the restaurant is high, indicating that people are enjoying themselves, and though on occasion it’s hard to hear the person on the other side of the table, this is a small price to pay for a great ambience. On a recent occassion, Junior, a fantastic US magician who seemed far too good to not be on TV, was doing the rounds, entertaining diners with a variety of card tricks and genuinely funny comedy - a nice touch.

The Food
With the main man Marco Pierre White responsible for this menu, it’s not surprising that the food is both high quality and innovative. What is surprising is the price, which falls firmly in, and at times below, the mid-ranged bracket.

Don’t expect haute cuisine - Frankie’s has a broad Italian based menu which comprises the usual pizza, pasta and burgers alongside quality fish and meat plates. On the other hand, however simple the food is on offer, the flavours have been given a lot of thought, with surprising palate-tickling combinations that wouldn’t be found in many other restaurants of this kind.

To start off, the salad of fennel and oranges (£5.50) is light and refreshing, with the tang of oranges mixing with earthy fennel to delicious effect. The aubergine Parmigiano (£6.50) is truly mouth-watering - a simple, large slice of aubergine topped with a mild tomato sauce and grilled mozzarella, this is a really memorable high point. Prosciutto di Parma with figs is also a delight, featuring quality Italian ham and ripe figs for a simple yet satisfying effect. Interestingly all the pasta main courses can be ordered in starter portions as well, giving you all the more opportunity to explore the menu.

For mains, the basics fare as well as the classics. Gratinata tagliolini alla carbonarra (£8.50) comes in a huge portion with an ultra-creamy sauce and gratin of nutty Swiss cheese, rather than Parmesan, on top - another interesting finishing touch. The generously-sized chicken burger (£6.95) is good but doesn’t defy expectations – then again there’s not much you can do to haute up chicken burger is there? The blue cheese burger (£6.95) on the other hand boasts notably a chunky fresh beef patty and a huge wedge of blue cheese to boot for a powerful moreish taste combo. Both were served with tasty thin frites and a crisp green side salad.

Towards the fancier end of the menu is the stellar T-bone steak (15.9%), which is lean and melts in the mouth – rare to find in a London restaurant with these prices. It comes with a side of small fried new potatoes which have been nicely seasoned. The grilled sea bass with citrus fruit (£12.50) is an intriguing and sophisticated combination, with the tender salty fish complemented perfectly by lively citrus notes. This is served with more frites and spinach with chilli and garlic, a highly satisfying Asian-European fusion.

Dessert doesn’t let the side down with the mascarpone creme brulee (£4.95), a French classic with an Italian twist, tasting creamy and sweet - again the portion is huge. Frankie’s New York cheesecake is another a confident classic, with a soft and light base and a definite kick of tangy creme fraiche finding your taste buds. It could be argued that the dessert range doesn’t take enough risks, but with trusty favourites tasting as good as this you’re not complaining.

The Drink
The wine list is streamlined with a choice of two bottles in three mid range price categories of £25, £27.50 and £30. Perhaps this is where the restaurant makes its money back on the great value food, but it’s slightly frustrating that there are no cheaper options available. None the less, the choices are good - Gavi di Gavi, a crisp and fruity white, works well with the fish while Chateau des graieres, a smooth and weighty Bordeaux red, full of earthy tones, is a great complement to the red meat.

The Last Word
If you want to experience an innovative menu that won’t break the bank, Frankies is the place for you. With simple Italian food given an haute cuisine twist and thoroughly wallet-friendly prices (bar the wine!), you won’t be disappointed. Add to this a friendly atmosphere and an eye-catching glam decor, you can guarantee you and your party will have fun.

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