Gather up a group of seasoned food, drink and creative types. Focus on a simple concept. Execute it well. I think that describes Frank. One part restaurant, one part coffee shop, one part grocery store. All housed in the old Starlight location at 4th and Colorado. I would worry that a three pronged attack would leave you with one or two weak prongs. After visiting a few times, that worry went away. They don’t seem to be over-reaching.
I am not a huge hot dog guy, but I am a huge sausage guy (stop laughing!). Front and center is Frank’s Chicago style hot dog: tomato, pickle, glow-in-the-dark relish. It was fun, but their house made specialty sausage is what got me going: Venison with Jalapeno and blueberry, Foie Gras with Orange and Brie, and my favorite Crawfish with Pork and Lappi cheese sausage (so juicy, it sprayed my shirt). Each on a special bread with from scratch sauces.
Eats range from $3 to $7. A fun list of side dishes (Beanie Weenie) and a smattering of Waffle Fries round out the menu. They also have a Veggie Dog and a Portobello Cheesestake for those of you who are not meat inclined. They didn’t neglect the cocktails, either. Sometimes a bacon infused Bloody Mary is exactly what the doctor ordered (the Red Headed Stranger). Drink prices are reasonable and they have a happy hour: dollar off anything with alcohol in it, 4pm – 7pm. Cool place and a welcome addition to the downtown food scene.
Frank Restaurant : 407 Colorado St. : (512) 494-6894
Bonus Track: Co-founder Christian Helms
created one of the coolest posters I have seen.
The Best Restaurant that we have ever been to was Kutcharitaville
Cafe in Asheville NC The Cheese Burgers and Key Lime Pie was to
Die For! Jake Golden
Hell Kutchie Pelaez makes better Cheese Burgers than we do.
Jimmy Buffett
Just wanted to add a little to your review here. I know Kutchie Pelaez, he has been my friend for many years. I helped him years
ago to secure a very good source for obtaining true key lime juice
here in south Florida. It is true that he does grow a lot of it himself but he uses much more than he can personally produce.
Kutch has been making his delicious key lime pies since the 1970’s,
he makes the best tasting ones that are out there. Here in south Florida everyone makes them and claims theirs are the best. That, is
not so. I have yet to eat one anywhere near as good as Kutchie’s and
I can say that, all my life I have had my share of just about every ones key lime pie.
If you are ever in the Carolinas, I highly recommend that you stop
at Kutchie’s Key West Restaurant and give Kutchie’s Key Lime Pie a Try. You will probably take home several whole pies, I always do.
Horatio Caine