Review: Franco & Vinny's in Fort Lauderdale
By Judith Stocks, South Florida Sun Sentinel
Important: This article was last updated on February 19, 2010. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
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 2884 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 954-564-9522 Cuisine: Italian Cost: inexpensive to moderate Hours: dinner nightly Reservations: not necessary Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V Bar: beer, wine Sound level: moderate Outside smoking: no For kids: boosters Wheelchair accessible: yes  |
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First impression: A small menu manages to cram several dining strategies into two pages. It's not everywhere you find a $26.95 veal chop next to a $7.50 cold ham and cheese sub. The range includes pizzas, subs, seafood and Italian classics (manicotti, lasagna, cacciatore, etc.), with evening specials adding yet another element.Ambience: A loyal following keeps this bare-tabled, family-friendly place bustling. But tables are spaced so close we felt like sardines. The pleasant looking interior is anchored by mirrors and a fish tank.
Starters: The kitchen runs hot and cold, starting with bracingly tart baked clams oreganata (8 for $13) that start with a base of chopped, not whole clams, and soggy crumbs. No one asked why we returned all but our first taste uneaten. I say skimp them. A pizza shack salad ($11.50) turns out to be antipasto on a bed of lettuce bound by dressing that overpowers the sliced meat and cheese. On the other hand, those who consider bread just an excuse for garlic butter will love the delicious cheese bread ($4.25) with near lethal doses of garlic. Bring breath mints and dig into the toasted bread topped with gooey mozzarella. It's equally compelling sans the cheese at $2.75.
Entree excellence: From specials, the frutti di mare ($21.75) arrives with rubbery shrimp and calamari, though the clams, mussels and scallops in the same dish are perfectly cooked, the pasta beneath textbook al dente and the light tomato sauce above average. But then came another special, chicken ravioli ($15.50), a terrific interpretation with firm pasta pillows plumped by a flavorful chicken mixture. It's available with several sauces. The pair of pork chops ($19.95) were nicely cooked and enriched with so many thick sliced mushrooms they cover the chops. The marsala? It's richly colored and nicely flavored. Pizzas, starting at $10.75, are a mainstay. You'll see plenty of tables with the thin crusted creations, prepared with house-made dough and tasty pizza sauce, presented on footed metal servers.
Side Issues: Broccoli rabe is commendable, sauteed with olive oil, sliced garlic and meaty Italian sausage at $9.95.
Sweet!: Tiramisu doesn't fall victim to the dullness I run into more often than not when spooning into the ubiquitous dessert. This delightful slab of decadence is creamy in the right spots, just right with cocoa in others, with layers of flavor and texture. Even New York cheesecake with its delicate cake foundation is worth the calories. Each is $5 well spent.
Service: I don't envy any service staff forced to tango around closely knit tables while trying to balance hot food, yet our server never faltered in maintaining a good attitude despite the juggling act.
Contact dining correspondent Judith Stocks at judithstocksreviews@yahoo.com