| Food | * * * |
| Service | * * * |
| Ambience | * * 1/2 |
| Value | 4.5 |
| Cost | $ $ $ |
| Dish | Price | Value | Rating | |
| Hot and Sour Soup | $3.50 |
* * | * * 1/2 | |
| Frank Fat's Chow Mein | 11.75 |
* | * 1/2 | |
| Hunan Chicken | 11.75 |
* * * | * * * 1/2 | |
| Steak Flambe | 17.50 |
* 1/2 | * * | |
| Banana Cream Pie | 3.50 |
* * | * * |
Frank Fat's is the kind of popular restaurant, which one can say as a sort of status symbol, "Yes, I've eaten there" (with one's nose in the air). We ventured to Frank's early on a Thursday evening, without a reservation, and were able to get a table, albeit one in front by the bar. Frank's location in Downtown Sacramento is not at all desirable. It sits catty-corner from the Greyhound Bus Station, and is entrenched between a parking garage and another ratty looking building. The inside, though classically decordated, leaves much to be desired. The lighting is somewhat fluorescent, with a large golden head staring out at you from its purple neon alcove. The waiter was attentive and patient as we made our way through the sizeable menu. When choosing three or four Chinese dishes, especially at a restaurant with a reputation as Frank Fat's has, you want to try their specialties, but also know there is a special quality to the not as often sought plates. After much deliberation (and drooling), we settled on Frank Fat's Special Chow Mein, Hunan Chicken, Steak Flambe (medium), and Hot & Sour Soup.
Frank's has a full-service bar, but we opted for tea. Tea was served in a metal pot, which was not conducive at all to ungloved human hands; in fact, each time the waiter added hot water, we had to wait awhile to serve ourselves. At least he was attentive with our water glasses, rarely letting them dip below half full. The Hot & Sour soup arrived first. It was full of vegetables and swirls of meat and egg with a consistency somewhere between consomme and cream. Just as we finished with the soup, the noodles, chicken and steak arrived at the table, which was a little small for three dishes and our plates. The steak arrived flaming. It had a very different taste - a sort of sugary brandy gravy with a few sweet vegetables. It wasn't a bad taste, but as a "special," it didn't particularly stand out in my mind as something I would order a second time. The meat was a little tough for Medium, and the flavorings were salty. The Chow Mein had an interesting combination of meat and vegetables, but unfortunately was very dry. It was as if all the sauce had been drained off completely and we had gotten what remained in the pan. Again, it had a nice taste, but the texture and lack of sauce was unpleasant to the palate. The Hunan Chicken, however, was excellent (and we had heard little about it). It was spicy, but not unbearably so, with plenty of thick black bean sauce. The chicken was tender and delicious. In fact, I used the sauce to give the Chow Mein noodles a little more wetness.
We were not able to eat all of everything, but still we felt we had to try to famous Banana Cream Pie. We told the waiter we wanted to split it, and he brought us two plates with half a piece each. The bananas were not creamed into the pudding, rather they were diced and formed a layer above the pudding. Again, it was not the best I'd ever tasted, but it was good.
Frank's had good food, but for the price of the dishes, it was really not worth the price paid. Granted, for lobbyists, the location is discreet and the servers efficient, but for something original and perfectly prepared, Frank's did not live up to its reputation.