Frank’s Italian American is set to open later this month, a two-storey tribute to American ‘red sauce’ restaurants.
The eatery and cocktail bar is located at the junction of Wyndham St and Arbuthnot and Hollywood Roads. Red sauce restaurants are renowned for their old fashioned hospitality and honest American Italian food. Frank’s will be a sister venue to Elgin Street’s Posto Pubblico and Linguini Fini on Queen’s Road Central. The venue has been inspired by owner Todd Darling’s early career in New Jersey and pays tribute to his personal mentor, local New York restaurateur Frank Amen.
On the ground floor will be an ‘unfussy’ cocktail menu, plus a selection of antipasti inspired by southern Italian street food, including suppli (rice balls), deep-fried croquettes and six-inch Italian-American ‘bar pizzas’ – all served up to the beat of a vinyl soul soundtrack.
Upstairs is the main dining room, a ‘humble’ space backed by a playlist of jazz, soul and blues from first-press vinyl records. Hearty dishes will include red sauce favourites taken to the next level, such as zuppa di mare with red lobster, cherrystone clams and scallops, and hand-crafted chicken parm topped with Frank’s homemade mozzarella and tomato sauce.
Beyond the Highrise 