Eat Athens: East side steakhouse grills with a home-style Latin flavor
The term "meat and potatoes" is often used to describe something familiar, straightforward and easily understood. For folks who find comfort in that type of simplicity, there are going to be expectations when they walk into a steakhouse, and a new east Athens restaurant is prepared to rise to the occasion. But for those who are looking for a little something extra, Frank & Son's Steakhouse is an absolute gem.
Located in the Ansonborough mixed-use retail and residential community at 1070 Gaines School Rd., Frank & Sons opened on Sept. 22 in the #117 space that previously housed Charlie Nobles gourmet southern restaurant. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, it's a great option for burgers at lunch time or an evening of fine dining, all painted with a Latin brush.
The South American flavor comes courtesy of owner Frank Cambero, who owns Punta Cana Latin Grill with his wife, Steising, in Bottleworks on Prince Ave. and Tropical Bar on Clayton Street downtown. The Camberos hail from the Dominican Republic, and the Frank told the Banner-Herald that his decision to open a steakhouse arose from a conversation he had with his wife.
"I didn't want to compete with other Latin restaurants on the east side," said Frank. "Steising loves the way I cook ribeye, filet and ribs, so she encouraged me to go with the steakhouse concept." Frank said that Steising came up with the name of the eatery as a way to involve their two young children, who could potentially follow in their parents' entrepreneurial footsteps someday.
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The Banner-Herald visited Frank & Sons around noon, and options for lunch and dinner were available. As longtime patrons of Punta Cana, we wanted to try something that would incorporate what we love about Dominican cuisine, so we chose the 8-ounce churrasco. The thin, lean slice of grilled beef is topped with chimichurri sauce, which brings in flavors of lime, garlic, parsley and serrano peppers but isn't overly spicy. At $22, the churrasco was generously-sized and came with grilled vegetables and steak fries, and mozzarella sticks were included as a starter.
As is the Banner-Herald's custom when ordering drinks at restaurants that offer full bar service, we inquired about the availability of alcohol-free beer or mixed drinks. The bartender enthusiastically granted our request with a custom-crafted cranberry orange "mocktail" that used mint in the absence of an alcohol-free spirit to create a cool, palate-cleansing finish for an outstanding late summer beverage.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Eat Athens: Frank and Sons Steakhouse grills with Latin flavor
