Review: The down-home soul food at Franco's impresses - the second time around

My first visit to Franco’s Restaurant, the down-home destination for soul food off Dixie Highway, wasn't the best.

It was for dinner and I asked some friends to join me for an early supper given the restaurant’s weekday closing time of 7 p.m.

We were greeted with a quick and somewhat curt, “this is all we have left,” as the server manning the cafeteria-style buffet waved her arm over various half-full to empty chafing dishes. We stayed regardless, though it was difficult to look past the generally over-cooked meats and the fact that nearly all of our sides were no warmer than room temperature.

It was apparent that the shine of the day had faded, so in all fairness to the down-home Louisville staple, I add a lunchtime visit to Franco’s to my dining calendar.

Thankfully my second drive down Dixie Highway to where Franco’s sits at the small intersection of Appleton Lane proved to be worth the return. This time my entry to the restaurant was met with a large smile, steam rising off the full-to-bursting trays of assorted soul food classics.

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I arrived just in time because no sooner had I found my seat at one of the red upholstered booths did a line of hungry patrons form. The restaurant bustled and I was left with little doubt that this is a spot those working in the area frequently flock to for a midday feast.

As mentioned, Franco’s is set up cafeteria style; meals are structured around the entree of one’s choosing with two sides accompanying each housemade dish. Prices vary based on the main course selected, ranging from $9 to just over $12 — an affordable offering considering the generous portions served.

One shouldn’t let the food on display keep them from missing out on the made-to-order items noted on a small video menu board posted at the back of the service area. This is where the catfish can be found — a large, thin filet coated liberally in a well-seasoned and crunchy cornmeal-spiked coating.

The catfish tied with the fried chicken for my favorite overall bites at Franco’s, with the chicken one of the only items that stood out during our dinner excursion. Fried to perfection, the four wings we were served were tender and crisp and had us bargaining for the last one.

Far less successful was the smothered pork chop. The brown sauce caking the meat was flavorful but not enough so to disguise the dry and chewy pork. Perhaps this dish exhibits more tenderness during the lunch hour.

We also sampled the fried potatoes for dinner and found them to be lukewarm and on the greasy side, a far cry from the tender coins of pan-fried potato that had been crisped at the edges and showered in pepper for lunch.

I had heard good things about Franco’s mac and cheese and, while it was long gone during my first outing, I was pleased to sample it over lunch alongside an order of baked chicken. The macaroni maintained a nice texture, the sauce was deliciously creamy and the compilation was baked with an extra layer of cheddar blanketed over-top for good measure. The baked chicken was succulent and presented over rice, which proved to be the ideal base to soak up the accompanying bell pepper studded gravy. An order of al dente steamed Brussels sprouts rounded out this particularly enjoyable lunch order.

There are plenty of other vegetables to choose from, should Brussels sprouts not be your first choice. The collard greens were softly stewed, boasting a wonderful vinegar bite. The corn, served off the cob and tossed with flavorful bits of red pepper, was overcooked.

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Be it lunch or dinner, don’t pass up one of Franco’s homemade cobblers, meringues or pound cakes ($2.99). On display at the register, the desserts are served in mini pie pans and are ideal for sharing. Both the blackberry cobbler and the lemon meringue pie were intensely tart. The meringue topping on the pie was more creamy than pillowy but tasty nonetheless, and the cobbler was loaded with stewed, whole blackberries.

Most diners expect a restaurant to deliver consistently across their opening hours. While I do give some consideration to those places that cook a feast for a day and simply run out, I have a hard time looking past food that is cold.

While I can’t say I’ll be returning to Franco’s for dinner anytime soon, I am confident that I will enjoy a lunch of catfish and mac and cheese in the not so distant future, for it is at midday that Franco’s Restaurant flourishes.

Reach freelance restaurant critic Lindsey McClave at lindsey@foodie-girl.com.

FRANCO'S

Rating: 2.5 of 4 stars

Address: 3300 Dixie Highway

Telephone: 502-448-8044

Web: francosrestaurantcatering.placeweb.site

Cuisine: Soul food

Children’s menu: Yes

Alcohol: No

Vegetarian: Other than select side items, vegetarian options are limited

Price range: Inexpensive

Reservations: No

Credit cards: Yes

Smoking: No

Access: Restaurant is handicap accessible

Parking: Ample parking available in dedicated lot

Hours 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. -8 p.m. Friday; 12-8 p.m. Saturday; 12-7 p.m. Sunday.