Frankie & Benny’s Christmas Menu St Helens Review
Reviewed by Rebecca Wong
I’d booked to eat at Frankie & Benny’s with my family, consisting of hubby, my 3 year old boy and my 10 month old daughter. The restaurant is set in a retail park and so parking was easy and there were ample spaces for us to choose from including family parking spots. Upon entering the restaurant, my son’s eyes immediately feel upon an arrangement of balloons by the front door. This sparked his excitement immediately as we were greeted by a friendly member of staff who asked which colour balloon he would like. So with a very happy 3 year old boy clinging to his new balloon we were lead straight to a table that was perfect for us. It was a booth style, so the 3 year old could be ‘locked’ in with no escape by mum and dad (always important to maintain peace whilst eating). There was also space for the pram nearby so I could leave our many belongings just within arm’s reach.
As we sat down, there was no doubt in our minds that it was Christmas, with a very festive looking table adorned with crackers, decorations, party poppers and activity packs for the kids. We were excited to taste our first ‘Festive Dinner’ of the season. A high chair was provided for our 10 month old and my son started exploring the activity pack whilst our drinks orders were taken. One of the things I’ve always liked about Frankie & Benny’s is the selection of drinks particularly as, in addition to the usual soft drink and bar offerings there is always an addition of interesting cocktails and mocktails for the kids. We decided to stick to soft drinks and were offered a choice of dough balls or garlic bread whist we looked at the menus.
The Christmas menu was a nice concise selection. There were 2 courses for £16.95 or 3 courses for £19.95. Without a doubt we were going for Frankie’s Festive dinner (Half a roast chicken with pigs in blankets, stuffing balls, rosemary roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables, and red wine gravy on the side). For starter we chose smoked Salmon Bruschetta and Buttermilk Chicken Tenders but I could have had any of the starters as they all looked so delicious. I’m always careful when choosing meals for the kids when eating out, as it has to be something they will eat but not be too messy. For my 3 year old we chose cheesy pasta with veg and for my daughter knowing that she would have some of the pasta I chose an Ella’s Kitchen spag bol dish that is specifically for 10 months plus. There was also a puree option for 7 month plus. I wouldn’t normally go for prepared food such as this for her as she loves her finger foods but I thought this would be the easiest to feed her in this situation and she could share some of our food.
We gave our orders and settled down with the kids whilst we waited for our starters to arrive. It was easy keeping them entertained as there was so much provided on the table for them. We went about pulling the crackers, which unfortunately didn’t bear any interesting gifts for my little boy but did give us 20% off vouchers to use between 4th January and 11th February. Which I thought were great and hope to use them in future. The kids however, enjoyed wearing the Christmas hats and playing with the party poppers.
At this point the starters arrived. Our waitress also informed us that she would then bring over the children’s meals. I was really pleased with this as there’s nothing worse than making the children wait whilst we tuck into our starters. The Spag bol dish for my baby daughter was just the right temperature to feed her straight away which, as a parent is a must, when everyone is ready to eat. My little boy’s pasta was quite hot, however, so we needed to wait a few minutes before he could eat. The food was delicious, the chicken tenders were lovely and crispy on the outside, with a very tasty salsa verde mayo dip to accompany it. The salmon bruschetta, was just the right size and had a lovely citrus bite to it. Both, we could share with the kids as well.
The kids were still eating (as predicted) when our mains came out. The festive dinner looked every bit like Christmas on a plate and just the right size for us – we thought. We both thoroughly enjoyed it although as it turned out we struggled to finish them completely. This was a lovely first Christmas dinner for us and has set the bar!
The waiting staff were so friendly and helpful, there was always someone close by checking if we needed anything and making sure the kids were happy. Lorna even performed a miracle by getting my son to finish his meal in exchange for a custom made desert (consisting of the candy shop sweets but without the ice-cream).
Overall, our visit to Frankie & Benny’s was one that I would happily repeat and recommend. Eating out with small kids can sometimes turn into a stressful experience but I feel that Frankie & Benny’s understand this and do everything they can to ensure the kids are happy, entertained and catered for so that mum and dad are more relaxed. I love the atmosphere and the music and the wonderful Italian themed photos. It really does have a family and homely atmosphere and it feels like the kids never leave empty handed (we grabbed another balloon on the way out). As Christmas meals go I would recommend this menu and as an added bonus kids eat free on Boxing Day with a purchased adult meal, perfect on the one day that you don’t want to have to deal with the cooking and cleaning.
Thank you to Lorna and your team for making us feel so welcome and ensuring we left with full belly’s and a smile on our faces.
Rating: 5/5
For more information or to make a booking visit:
www.frankieandbennys.com/restaurant/frankie-bennys-st-helens
Frankie & Benny’s, Ravenhead Retail Park, Milverny Way, St Helens, WA9 1JF | 01744 452110
