Glen L.
Yelp
Let's call a spade a spade. You come and linger at Frank & Albert's not for the menu but for the ambiance. When you first enter, you get a sports bar vibe when you see TVs broadcasting sports, a bar with plenty of draft beers, and assorted games. It's nice and bright thanks to the windows and the omnipresent Arizona sunshine.
But when you take a left into the dining room, you are transported into a totally different scene. The colors and light fixtures are worthy of the Frank Lloyd Wright aesthetic that they are trying to create. I chose to sit outside as did most other diners on what was a brilliant day weatherwise. A fireplace added to the atmosphere as well as helping those tables in the shade. I would definitely recommend the patio if those tables are available.
Being a resort, food is not cheap with most items over $20. Portions are not particularly huge but you get the sense that high-quality ingredients are being used in most courses.
Iced Tea: Not sure which tea they brew with but this was a nice strong blend. I noticed for hot tea that they have a box diners can choose from with many different selections.
Wedge Salad: Gorgeous presentation and the heirloom tomatoes are perfect. Dieters should ask for the dressing to be served on the side as they pour it at the bottom of the plate.
Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup: Loved how toasted the bread was. The ultimate comfort food and the cheese was dripping out the sides. You are getting your money's worth ($19) with this one. I think a bolder cheese combination would have been nice but they play it safe and it is satisfying. The tomato soup looked great and I loved dipping my sandwich in it. My only complaint was that the soup tasted a bit like marinara sauce and leaned a little toward the sweet side. I prefer a more acidic tomato soup. But the combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup was nicely executed.
Carrot Cake: Everyone in our nearby area on the patio ordered dessert, so I heard our server, Julio, explain three times all the differences in the dessert offerings. There was a banana cheesecake that looked beautiful but seemed too heavy for lunch. There was a Napolean that another guest got and you would not believe how much whipped cream was on it! Finally, there was my choice, carrot cake. It's served with candied pecans on top and honestly looks like the ultimate winter dessert. The cake was perfect. In some respects, the desserts seemed to be the best thing on offer here.
Service was efficient and the team worked well together. Julio even offered up many factoids about the restaurant and its history. This is not just any restaurant. When you dine here, you are becoming part of that history, too.
The restrooms are not located in the restaurant and are down a nearby hall. When I went in, it was FREEZING in there and seemed so disconnected from the rest of the resort. I would recommend using the restrooms around the corner from the concierge and next to the gift shop near the lobby.
With tip, lunch for two is easily going to cost more than $100. Is the food alone worth it? Not at all. Is it worth it for the overall experience? You bet. The elegant atmosphere does elevate everything. Treat yourself once in a while!