THE BAD DEAL

Sometime last year, Frankies 457 and Frankies Prime Meats, two of Brooklyn’s most enjoyable restaurants, posted signs on their front doors stating that they would no longer take American Express, the currency of choice for the corporate dining community and many everyday patrons. We’re happy to learn that both restaurants now take Amex again. We asked co-owner Frank Castronovo about the change. Here’s what he had to say: 

• “… .American Express we discovered charged a higher % rate than Visa and MC so we dropped them. Since then they have tried hard to get our business back, so recently we agreed to a mutually beneficial deal for everyone. We are glad to have them back and so are our customers.”

This development is most definitely a GOOD DEAL for the dining public, as it increases their choice of payment options. It’s also a sign that the Frankies people are serious about courting the corporate dining community.

That’s especially true at Prime Meats, as there’s no more standard client dinner than a steak dinner (for better or for worse), and on that note it’s worth noting that the cote de boeuf for two at Prime Meats (only available on Fri/Sat) now costs $142, which is more expensive than the same cut at Minetta Tavern.

Finally, on a more personal note — I was stoked to celebrate the 60th birthdays of both my parents last week at Prime Meats. The new menu is pretty rad: killer lamb ribs, and, even better, a beef sausage that tastes like someone ground up the best $58 dry-aged strip steak you ever tasted and stuffed it into brat casing for $16.

Yes, that’s a STRONG BUY.