Meet our newest addition to our Darlinghurst Dining Walk.
Son of Frank strikes that elusive balance between the surprising and familiar. Anthony Canturi formerly of Cho Cho San, The Apollo and Eau De Vie owns the venue with his brother Jonathon, and describes the food as “Italian-ish”. The brothers have an Italian heritage but serve food that uses the cuisine as an influence, rather than as the main event.
When they opened a year ago the focus was on brunch but in September Son of Frank extended its hours to include dinner service. Now it feels like more of an all-day restaurant.
The night-time menu includes Italian staples with some offbeat twists. A carbonara comes topped with with puffed wild rice, while there's a beef brisket dish that comes topped with a sugo made from bush tomato. The wine list is a balance of Australian and Italian drops available by the bottle with the by-the-glass list changing on a nightly basis.
The clean, pared back fit-out has a black-and-white botanical mural on one wall - as an in-joke the wall art exclusively features plants with ‘Frank’ in their Latin name. The lush greenery on each table and in hanging post is the only colour in this otherwise neutral space of natural timber and exposed brick. There is also a light-filled courtyard for al fresco lunch, which transforms after dark into a softly lit space with long communal tables and a climbing passion fruit plant adorning the trellis.
It’s modern, cosy and a good place to while away an afternoon drinking Bloody Marys and watching Victoria Street go by.
Part of this article originally appeared in Broadsheet Sydney
