Papa Frank's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Winooski

I stopped by when I was in the area for an event. The garlic bread was tasty but very greasy, and my companions meal, which was a baked meat ravioli dish, was reportedly fine. The red sauce seemed to have corn syrup in it or sugar in it which is honestly not something I ever like to see, but it did balance out with the flavors in the garlic bread so it was okay to eat.

However, I was subjected to a culinary war crime for ordering the Alfredo with broccoli and chicken. The broccoli was fine if unseasoned, and the chicken was the standard prepackaged food service chicken. However, I had ordered fettuccine (or linguine? I only remember that it was a long noodle), and I was served penne, and the sauce on it was by no means actual Alfredo.

If you're not familiar, Alfredo sauce is just butter and Parmesan with a little pasta water for the traditional Italian style, and the American style features a lot of Parmesan and garlic in a bechamel base. What I was served though, was approximately one and a half cups of lukewarm full fat ricotta cheese with a little bit of Parmesan, and a tiny bit of garlic literally floating - supported by its own weight - on top of a mound of pasta. It was incredibly heavy and gross, and I was unable to eat more than a few bites of the "sauce" before I ended up just picking out the meat and broccoli. I did confirm that this was supposed to be the Alfredo, so I wasn't accidentally served the wrong meal. I have noticed that food in Vermont is generally unseasoned and greasy, but this was far more than the meal being bland and greasy due to regional tastes. This dish was absolutely atrocious.

The server was very sweet, and we were served quickly, but whoever is in the kitchen needs to at least read up on what...

The food is inexpensive. Their red sauce is pretty good. Their carbonara is incredible. I had the chicken parmigiana. It wasn't the best I ever had but it was right up there. Factor in the price and it becomes a no brainer. My girlfriend had the eggplant rollentini. That was a five star dish. If you like eggplant, you'll love this. As with every place, staffing is an issue in this post pandemic world. Papa Frank's is No exception. While there clearly was one experienced waitress working, we weren't lucky enough to get her, at first anyway. We ended up with someone that took our order, got it to the kitchen. Then proceeded to stand around like a state worker. We never got our drinks. I made blatant eye contact with him not once but twice in a ten minute period. Finally I had to almost yell to him to get his attention. He then finally delivered our drinks with the weakest apology he could muster. Then disappeared for the rest of our dinner. The one experienced waitress was left going table to table systematically waiting on everyone herself. If it were a different time, I would've given less stars and less than the 25% tip that we did leave. However, since the pandemic, you just can't find decent help. That one girl was legitimately doing the best she could. All while keeping a good attitude. Overall, I do recommend going there but make sure it isn't...

After a death bed promise to uncle Julie I had given up crime and had gone straight. For years I had been working as a congressional campaign manager, sure that I had left my life of crime behind. But once that video of the honorable gentleman from Indiana attempting to become intimate with a lawn chair went viral, my career was over. I was sucked back into the underworld and here I was again in Vermont with a trunk full of fake passports and counterfeit Speedway Rewards Cards. I was at a crossroads. If I went through with the deal I knew there was no turning back. I needed some Italian food to clear my head so I hit Papa Frank's. The ambiance was so authentic you could almost here Marlon Brando and Mussolini arguing in the background. The waiter,  graceful like a gazelle, approached. At first I was taken aback, both by his grace and because his head was freakishly large even by the standards of the Italians. But he quickly put me at ease with wit and professionalism. I ordered the baked ziti and upon the first bite an orgasmic rodeo of flavor was unleashed on my taste buds. I knew then and there if such goodness exists in this world I could not again turn to the darkness. I left the big headed waiter a tip of 600 Speedway Rewards Cards and 45 blank Honduran passports and I went to rebuild my life. Stomach and soul happy and full. Thank you Popa Frank. ...