Frankie and Lola's Front Street Cafe - Morro Bay

                                      

My husband says you can sense the love of a restaurateur the minute you walk into their domain. Something about the smiles on the faces of the waitresses, the squeaky-clean floors, and the happy chef in back cooking with a happy grin on his mug turns on the hopeful diner in our hearts. Then the menu jumps out at you with creativity and bravado, you just know this meal is going to be good. I had heard many good things about Frankie and Lola’s (and being a Parrot head myself, was instantly intrigued), but this little café surprised even me with just how good the whole experience was to be. 

French Toast Souffle'

We took friends and all were very pleased with their selections, so much so, we came back for lunch the next day. Gary found the sweetest thing on the menu to jump-start his day. They called it French toast, but it was actually a Brulée, Soufflé, and Flambé. It was French bread soaked in cinnamon crème Brulée, baked in the oven (soufflé) and topped with a caramelized pecan praline topping (flambé). He was so pleased with the flavor and inventive nature of the dish; we had a hard time getting a taste.

I ordered the Chilaquiles scramble, one of my much-loved dishes. This came with tortillas sautéed with chorizo and tomatillo salsa. It was topped with scrambled eggs, queso Oaxaca, guajillo, avocado and sour cream. It was a fantastic version of this recipe. Our friends tried the Dungeness crab cake omelet with fresh Dungeness crab meat tossed with green onions, garlic, brioche and parsley, which is then folded into a three egg omelets and topped with an amazing hollandaise sauce. This is a dish worth returning for a second round. A friend who cannot eat eggs loved the Potato Zucchini pancake--a delicious and healthy alternative. The PZP is thin sliced potatoes and zucchini layered, browned, and smeared with herbed cream cheese. It is then topped with red and yellow bell peppers, soybean pesto, and fresh mozzarella. What a great alternative to eggs and pancakes.

                            

We returned the next day for a grilled Reuben sandwich with house cured corned beef served with sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing completed with
grilled rye bread. I had the grilled pear salad with baby spinach, candied pecans, blood orange sections, prosciutto, chevre, and house balsamic dressing. They were both superb. 

We heard a rumor that Jimmy Buffett was in town and going to try the bistro (It is named after his song, Fankie and Lola). We missed the famous crooner, but Owner and Chef Kirk, was shocked to see the illustrious Jimmy Buffett waltz in his door one recent day. He thought Mr. Buffett might take exception to his use of his song title as the theme for his restaurant. Kirk said Buffett was tickled stating, “No problem, I think it is an honor and I loved the food.” Kirk is a passionate chef who loves to dabble and explore in the kitchen, so be prepared for innovative and tasty dishes.

Between the beautiful ocean breeze, wonderful customer service, and food that is made with love and a focus on detail, you can't go wrong with Frankie and Lola’s. It's definitely worth seeking out this little gem located just due south of the smokestacks in Morro Bay. 

Frankie and Lola’s Front Street Café is located at 1154 Front Street in Morro Bay. Call them at 771-9306 they are open for breakfast and lunch.