Dining with Frankie

I follow a number of other bloggers as I note from time to time. Helen of Dining with Frankie is a favorite. Her blog covers all manner of restaurants, “from grunge to 3 star Michelin,” all around the Americas and Europe. The reviews often cover extremely sophisticated tasting menus — see here — while others are as down to earth as you can get — down to my level. I love reading Helen’s reports of the meals she and her husband eat, and you will, too. And I always consult Dining with Frankie before traveling, even though I normally eat, uh, lower on the hog.

Frankie, by the way, is not Helen’s husband. Frankie is a small stuffed cat that travels in Helen’s purse and adds some whimsy to the reviews. Here’s Frankie examining the Beef Wellington in a black truffle bordelaise at BOCA in Cincinnati,

and Frankie’s equally at home enthralling the proprietor among the hot dogs at the Roast Grill in Raleigh.

I’d been meaning to post about Dining with Frankie for a while, and I finally took the plunge after the first report on their trip to Birmingham. That’s my old stomping grounds. You may not think of Birmingham as much a food city. You’d be surprised. The review of Johnny’s, a”meat and three” plate lunch restaurant common in the South, caught my eye. Uncommonly, Chef Timothy Hontzas is once again a James Beard Best Chef/South finalist. The review of Bottega (another James Beard finalist this year) was spot on, and I especially liked — and identified with — the review of Frank Stitt’s Chez Fon Fon. Do read that one through to dessert.

Dining with Frankie opens the door to a world of extraordinary food. Consider the duck breast at Second Empire in Raleigh.

paired with a nice pinot noir.

Or think of the oysters with caviar

and the foie gras torchon at Cry Wolf in Dallas, one of their favorites.

There is much fine food, but every now and then there are days when you need a chili dog, especially a really remarkable one. Or two.

Most of Dining with Frankie’s reports involve exceptional food superbly prepared and seamlessly served, but Helen does not pull punches. Negative aspects are noted simply and without fanfare and, as with post-COVID staffing issues, understanding.

As I said, the reviews are from all over. Did you click on that first link? You should, and scroll down to see all the cities and the number of reviews in each. There are 88 reviews from Paris alone. I’ve eaten at two of the 88, Allard and Chez L’Ami Jean, and my Senior Paris Correspondents, Barbara Samson and Ross Eisenbrey, reviewed the latter. There are eight reviews from here in Washington, and more from the surrounding area, including Little Washington.

Bookmark Dining with Frankie or, better, follow the blog. Don’t forget to check it before you travel.

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And while you’re at it, click “follow” on our front page to receive blog posts in your email box.  Or bookmark us and check in from time to time.  If you’re planning a trip, you can “Search” the name of the destination city, state, or country for good restaurants (in Europe, often close to sites, like the Louvre or the Van Gogh Museum, that you’ll want to visit in any event).  Comments, questions, and suggestions of places to eat or stories to cover are very welcome.  And check out our Instagram page, johntannerbbq.