Frankie’s Spuntino is an Italian restaurant that focuses on the lighter side of Italian cooking. The restaurant gets its name from the two chef owners Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo. Coincidentally my father’s name is Frank and I couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of a dinner restaurant that did not have any traditional mains beyond very light servings of pasta. My father is a strong believer in a traditional dinner meal – two of his favorite dinner related catchphrases are: “Eggs don’t constitute a dinner.” and “Soup is not a meal.”
This is a restaurant where the dishes come on small plates and with small price tags - the idea is to order lots and share. There is a wide selection of bite sized Crostini, we tasted the Cannellini, Caper, Lemon & Anchovy also - Cremini Mushroom & Truffle Oil. Both were fresh and a delightful mix of flavours.
Followed an antipasto plate and the crisp brussels sprouts salad which was delicately balanced with a lemon and light olive oil dressing and sprinkled with a mild castelrosso cheese – certainly the standout dish of the night.
The closest we came to a main was the small plate of gnocchi we shared. Whilst the gnocchi was by no means the best I have eaten – it was a warm & soft antidote to the snow storm brewing outside and the generous dollop of fresh ricotta added an extra blanket of comfort to the dish.
The whole meal was washed down with a few very palatable 0.5L carafes of the house red, at $12 each - cheaper than most of the glasses on the menu.
While we may have broken the spirit of my father’s dinner commandments the meal was delicious and filling and I think he could have enjoyed it. Most importantly we abode by some of his other favourite meal related wisdom: “Never go into an empty restaurant.” and “Tea should never be consumed from a paper cup”*
3.5/5
457 Court Street Brooklyn, NY
