REVIEW: FRANNY'S [A BREEDER'S PERSPECTIVE THAT TOTALLY DOESN'T JIBE WITH MINE, BUT I'M POSTING IT ANYWAY]

I have been reading and hearing about Franny’s since it opened. Every time I read a rave review I think, damn! I must get my ass over there and see what all the fuss is about.

I, with family in tow, finally made it over there last weekend. Figuring that the early hour and the freezing weather would keep the throngs away, we chanced this on a weekend night (even though we all were starving and I’ve heard about the long wait). My 13-year-old was hungry and surly and announced, when we were told it would be a half hour wait, that he wasn’t willing to wait. I promptly offered him money for a car service home because I def didn’t want to put up with his shit on top of the wait and being jostled by the burgeoning crowd. He declined and proceeded to hold up their beautiful brick wall while maintaining his best pose in victimization.  

Finally seated, we ordered a pizza and cauliflower Zeppole  to start. The first thing that struck my tongue was the saltiness of the zep, then the actual flavors took over my taste buds and I loved them. I silently figured that the lemon served with the dish was to balance the saltiness of the zep and I accepted this fully. 

Now, I must interject here that I am a salt person, I love salt in all its glory, on every type of food, and I always have a salt shaker by my side when I am eating. 

When our pastas arrived, I can’t remember the name of mine but it was of the hipster in some Billlyburg basement curing meat discipline (ahh, but that’s for a future rant) and my husband’s Bucatini with Squid, Garlic and Chilies, we dug in and again the saltiness of both dishes overwhelmed all the other flavors,. I also found the pasta to be a bit too al dente for my taste (I don’t enjoy taffyesque pasta). Sadly, like so many other times in my life where the hype is, well, more hyperbole than the actual experience, I was disappointed.

The price tag for the meal didn’t thrill either. $125+ for a family of four to eat pizza? And my husband and I didn’t even drink (much). 

Giving the benefit of the doubt to Franny’s, maybe it was an off night for the chef, maybe he/she had salt-jar dropsies, I don’t know…I really wanted to love Franny’s, I really did, but I didn’t.  

Oh yeah, the service was great: everyone was very professional and nice.

[ed. note: for the record, I have been to Franny's 3 times and my mind has been blown each and every time. Like head exploded, stomach melted, amazing, delicious, to-die-for food. Would eat there every friggin day if I was rich enough. Jus sayin...Barbara-n-I have agreed to disagree].