Nobody seems to make much of St. Louis' tradition of unpretentious family-owned Italian restaurants. But they click along with a good amount of regular clientele and without much fanfare. One such place is Frank Papa's in Brentwood, around for many years and with a full clientele of loyal regulars. So what happens to restaurants like that? Can their kitchens stay consistent?
It is possible that Frank Papa's was the first local restaurant to flash-fry greens, although information to the contrary is always welcome. Unlike the more delicate and commonly seen spinach, escarole is the green of choice here, and a good idea, a little more heft to stand up to the intense, pervading heat of the oil. The dish remains tasty enough with its shower of crumbs of cheese, but what was on our plate was far greasier than it might have been. Whether it was from insufficient draining or from oil that wasn't hot enough, it was hard to tell. Still, the plates left clean.
A fresh, crisp house salad wore its vinaigrette lightly. The menu said balsamic, but it's not a sweet dressing at all, and its slice of tomato was surprisingly good considering the time of year. One can argue over the inclusion of provel cheese shreds, of course, but provel's creaminess is a nice contrast to crisp lettuce and the faint smokiness a not-unwelcome note with a dressing's acidity.
Another signature dish is the veal Diana, named for Frank's wife. It's retained its distinction over the years, remaining one of the best veal versions around. The fork-tender veal, the sort of thing one reads about but seldom encounters, was swathed in a brown sauce based on a deeply flavorful veal stock punched up with tomato, mushrooms, basil and a hit of sherry, dark and delightful. Roasted potatoes, the usual side to the entrees, and a swirl of spaghetti squash, came along to wipe up the last of the flavors.
Over the years, I've eaten some excellent game from this kitchen. This is the time of year it seems particularly right, the big flavors appealing with the cooler weather. The game special was a pappardelle, the traditional noodle served with game sauces in Italy, with boar sausage. "A little sweet," explained the waiter – several times, in fact. And it was, indeed. The pasta in a broth (as are several of their pastas) held chunks of vegetables, the natural sweetness of the veges unfortunately flavoring it far more than the slices of the spicy, coarsely ground sausage. The proferred cheese helped some, but the overall effect was seriously underwhelming. The dish lacked the vigor that such meats and fowl almost always call for.
Service was first-rate, pleasant and attentive, water refills coming quickly, good explanations of things, and this on a busy night.
But with food varying from insipid to great, it's clear the back of the house needs to step things up.
Frank Papa's Ristorante
2241 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood
314-962.3344
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Well put!