Frankie’s 457

457 Court Street off 4th Place, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718/403.0033
about $150 for four, with a bottle of wine, without tip, cash only
♥ ♥

Update, February 2009: I had a lovely weekday lunch here with gnocchi and meatballs. Both were in tomato sauce that had their own tastes. (It wold have sucked if they used the same sauce for two different dishes, no?) The salads–fennel, celery root and arugula with mozarella–were brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice and good olive oil. They were simple and just made me very happy.

We walked in Sunday night for an early dinner and Frankie’s was already packed. We were seated in the restaurant in the back, a separate space mainly used for private parties. The main dining room seemed homey with guests eating sandwiches and crostinis, but the back felt more comfortable with only five tables. After they turned down the music volume in the back, we felt like we were having our own small dinner party at home.

Frankie’s menu showcases the same comfort food I’ve gotten used when dining in Brooklyn. There were no seafood selections, which disappointed me a bit, because I was in the mood for fish after celebrating Thanksgiving. The home-made cavatelli with hot sausage and browned sage butter was excellent. The roast loin of pork with broccoli rabe and pine nut polenta was hearty and filling. The desserts could use a little excitement though, because sometimes tiramisu, creme brulée and cheessecake just don’t quite cut it.