Frank’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante – Lakewood, NJ

It was Sunday night and time for dinner. What better dinner than some homemade Italian food. It was recommended that I try Frank’s Pizza & Ristorante. Since their dining room was shut down, I had to get the food to go.

I ordered a couple of things that way there was an assortment of things to try. I got an arancini (rice ball). The size was huge and perfect for sharing. It was crispy on the outside but when I sliced in, the melted cheese just poured out. The cheese blended with the soft rice. In the middle was a great blend of chopped meat, peas, and a little marinara sauce. This filling paired with the cheese and rice made the dish filling.

I got two different calzones. One was just cheese and the other was vegetables and cheese. The cheese calzone was loaded down with cheese. It poured out when I cut into the crispy crust. You must be careful, so you do not burn your mouth. If you like cheesy dough this is the calzone to try. Dipping in in pasta sauce just helps break up the overwhelming amount of cheese.

The vegetable calzone had a few vegetables, including from broccoli rabe. The vegetables helped break up all the cheese. They added a nice texture as well. The dough they used was sweet and complemented the saltiness of the cheese.

I ordered a cup of their chicken noodle soup. There were large chunks of chicken in the soup, but the broth was more like a vegetable soup. There was a sweetness to the soup rather than a salty taste. They loaded the soup with noodles which I really liked. I do like it when soups have lots of noodles.

I did order one main pasta dish to try. I went for the gnocchi in a marinara sauce. These gnocchi were dense but still tender. The marinara sauce was slightly tangy from the tomatoes. However, that eased when I sprinkled some fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.

I was so full after all this food. I ordered plenty so I was able to have lunch the next day. The next time I visit Frank’s I want to order a pizza. That seemed like a really popular item with the customers who kept coming in.

Check out their full menu at www.frankspizzalakewood.com

Enjoy!

T