Cousin Frankie’s USA Grill lives up to its all-American name

Published as part of the June 12, 2009 edition.

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Chef/owner Frank Blasi serves up an order of French toast at Cousin Frankie’s USA Grill in Port Chester.

By Jananne Abel

Port Chester has many ethnic restaurants specializing in food from countries around the world. Now it’s also got Cousin Frankie’s USA Grill featuring good ole American food.

“I think it’s about time,” said Frank Blasi, owner of the casual new American-themed restaurant at 110 Adee St. He said there are many Spanish and Chinese restaurants in the village “and they are all proud of their country.” He cited the Brazilian eatery across the way that’s filled with Brazilian flags.

“Why not a restaurant with American flags?” asked Blasi, 43.

“We are a country that welcomes everybody. It’s about different types of people, but we should respect our country also. I’m Italian and my wife’s Cuban and this is the country we chose to come to.”

Everything about the décor at Cousin Frankie’s USA Grill is all-American—from the red, white and blue color scheme, to the American bald eagle logo, to the posters on the wall advertising Coca Cola, Route 66, Marilyn Monroe, a Corvette, hamburgers, hot dogs, Elvis, James Dean and Harley Davidsons. There’s also a poster reading “God bless the USA.” Witness red tables and counters, blue and white chairs and stools seating 35, a blue and white tile floor, blue and red tiles in the shape of diamonds adorning the wall in front of the main counter and a supporting pole decorated to look like an American flag. Figurines of Uncle Sam and his wife stand prominently in the front window which is also filled with red, white and blue star-shaped balloons.

The menu features all-American breakfasts: pancakes, French toast, eggs and bacon and omelets as well as all-American lunches: hamburgers ($3.95 for a 6 oz. sirloin), cheeseburgers ($4.50), hot dogs ($1.95), chicken fingers ($3.95), mozzarella sticks ($4.95), fries ($1.95), tuna ($3.95 on a roll or bread, $4.95 on a wedge or wrap), ham and cheese ($3.95/$4.95), Philly cheese steak ($4.25/$5.25), grilled cheese ($2.50), BLT ($2.95) and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ($1.75).

Besides that, you can enjoy your meal with a chocolate, vanilla or strawberry milkshake ($2.50 served in a small fountain glass topped with whipped cream) and top it off with a piece of apple pie a la mode ($1.75).

Weekly lunch specials include American comfort foods like meatloaf served with mashed potatoes and corn ($5.95) on Tuesdays, pork loin with choice of potato ($5.95) on Mondays, pulled pork sandwich with choice of potato ($4.95) on Wednesdays and beef stew ($5.95) on Thursdays.

A variety of wraps, all $5.25, bear names like The Liberty Wrap (sliced grilled chicken with bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo stuffed with fries), The Uncle Sam (grilled chicken Caesar) and The Stars & Stripes (roasted mixed vegetables with lettuce and tomato).

Besides the all-American cuisine, however, there are some Italian specialties on the menu that reflect chef/owner Blasi’s ethnic background. For instance, he said the chicken scarpariello wedge ($5.25) is his favorite. In addition, you can get a chicken parmigiana sandwich or wedge ($4.95/$5.95), chicken marsala sandwich or wedge ($3.95/$4.95), sausage and pepper sandwich or wedge ($3.95/$4.95), chicken parmigiana with pasta ($7.95) or pasta of the day ($6.25).

Right now one soup of the day ($2.25 cup, $3.25 bowl) is offered and in the cold weather that will mushroom to two. Some examples: chicken and rice, minestrone, split pea, lentil, pasta fagioli and cream of broccoli.

Prices are definitely reasonable. Where else can you get peanut butter and jelly for $1.75 or a BLT for $2.95?

“I’m opening up at a time when everybody’s trying to watch their dollars,” said Blasi. “If I can help out in that sense, why not?”

Portions are also plentiful. I had a pasta special of rigatoni with broccoli and oil ($6.25) which was yummy and fed two. So did the tasty beef stew—meaty and slightly sweet. The specials come with bread.

Cousin Frankie’s opened on May 21 in a space the landlord only recently fitted with a storefront that faces the street. Previously it was apparently used for furniture restoration and not visible to the public. To enter the restaurant, where all is brand new, you must walk down a number of steps as it is located below the street level. Once inside, everything is bright and cheery including the employees, who really make you feel at home.

Blasi, who has always been called cousin Frankie since there are four Frank Blasi’s in his family—his grandfather, uncle and cousin who owns Frank’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Port Chester besides himself— said most of his employees are members of his large family. After working for someone else for 17 years—he was executive chef at Juliano’s Catering in New Rochelle—Blasi said he knows how to treat his employees. Before his stint at Juliano’s, he owned and operated Pasta Per Te on South Regent Street in Port Chester from 1987-92. It is now Ferraro’s Pizza & Pasta.

After working nights and weekends for 17 years, Blasi was looking to open a luncheonette which would allow him to be home at night and spend more time with his family. He said his daughter Amanda, a junior at Port Chester High School, is already 16 and he feels he’s missed out on a lot in her life. He also has a 12-year-old daughter Haley, a sixth grader at Port Chester Middle School.

Wife Maria, whom he calls “my partner in everything,” works in marketing but also does his book work and helps out in the restaurant on weekends.

Blasi chose Port Chester because he wanted to open a nice place in the village where he’s lived his whole life. He decided on this location because he thought it would be the perfect place for a luncheonette with all the drive-by traffic. “It’s a busy street next to the train station which is a big plus,” he said. “There is not a 15-minute period of time when 20 cars don’t pass this street.”

And it’s actually conveniently located right across from a municipal parking lot where you can always find a space.

Hours are Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cousin Frankie’s is closed on Sundays. In addition, on Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant reopens at 10 p.m. and stays open until 4:30 the next morning.

“This area on the weekends is pretty busy with the movie theaters,” said Blasi. He said there are a lot of college kids looking for a place to eat late at night.

He remembers going to The Texas on North Main Street when he was young. So now Cousin Frankie’s is an alternative to Hubba, where The Texas used to be, or the diner.

When we visited Cousin Frankie’s USA Grill last weekend, there was a late night menu of burgers and fries, hot dogs, onion rings and chicken fingers listed on the white board, but they were offering other items off the regular menu as well. I don’t know if that will always be the case.

Over the grill is a sign that reads “Good Home Cooking.” Not only that, but the food is prepared with care by the owner who loves what he does. Blasi said he put on the menu only what he likes to cook but that in reality, “I don’t want menus. Just tell me what you like. Hopefully I’ll be here long enough that I’ll know what my customers want.” Besides the chicken scarpariello wedge, he recommends the burgers and the daily specials.

Some specials of note on the menu are Cousin Frankie’s Breakfast Wrap ($4.25): eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes, to which chili or cheese can be added for an extra 50 cents; The Commuter Special ($3.25): bacon, egg and cheese on a roll with a choice of juice or medium coffee; the Breakfast Special ($6.95): 2 pancakes or 2 French toast served with 2 eggs any style, sausage, bacon, ham, home fries and toast, juice and coffee and The Cousin Frankie’s ($4.25 roll or bread, $5.25 wedge or wrap): sautéed ground beef with a sweet BBQ sauce stuffed with potatoes and cheddar cheese.

For breakfast, I tried the stuffed French toast ($5.50), challah bread dipped in egg and fried, sliced up and arranged around cheese cake filling, topped with sliced strawberries and blueberries and powdered sugar and flanked by dollops of whipped cream. This unique dish is pretty, delicious and you don’t need syrup. There’s no way I wanted to eat all of the filling, but a few forkfuls were enough of a sweet treat. An order of bacon and eggs came with great home fries spiced up with little Italian peppers.

I had the gorgonzola burger ($5.50) as a late night snack. It actually consists of two 6 oz. sirloin hamburgers with gorgonzola cheese melted between the two and is served on a soft seeded bun. As such, it was a lot to eat, so my husband had to help me with it.

Some healthier choices on the menu include fresh fruit plate ($2.25), a handful of salads ($2.95 for mixed greens to $4.75 for grilled chicken Caesar) and a turkey burger ($2.95).

After having streamlined his operation, Blasi plans to have a grand opening soon. Having been open less than a month, he said he is pleased with business so far.

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