Living in Sunset Beach our local is Fancy Frank’s, and for a bit of variety you can hit the R27 and turn left to Tableview or right towards Woodbridge. This article is a play-off between our local local and our next nearest local to the right, BOSSA Woodbridge Island.
This is about burgers and beer, it’s not fine dining, it’s not even fancy dining, so the standards and expectations have to be adjusted accordingly. I’m talking about that spur of the moment, “let’s go grab a bite at our local” kind of moment.
Both are franchises – there’s a Fancy Franks in Somerset West, and there’s plenty of Bossa’s dotted all over the city.
When it comes to location, nothing comes close to the view at Bossa. The only downside if that if you want a decent spot at Bossa Woodbridge, you gotta book, and if you want a table at Fancy Franks Sunset Beach on a weekend you have to do the same.
Bossa has redone their menu recently. There’s a few new dishes for the moderately diet conscious, but overall, between the two restaurants, you’re not going there to lose weight or make friends with your scale. Both are going to hammer the calorie budget. Fancy Frank’s menu has tapas and small plates so you get a bigger variety of starter nibbles, although a lot of them are deep fried and crumbed.
Beer is better at Bossa, hands down. Bossa’s beers on tap offer far more variety than Franks. I even asked Bossa for a taster before I ordered my beer and they brought me a few to sample.
Both places do a damn fine steak. There’s little to separate them. I’ve had fillets at both and they’re matched pound for pound. Maybe the pepper sauce at Franks is a bit more peppery band a bit less creamy.
Bossa’s pizzas have a weird kind of base, I don’t think the Italians would approve, but for those of us who can only have a pizza if it’s got anchovies and proper Kalamata olives that don’t come pre-sliced, then it’s Bossa. For a proper pizza base and a better pizza, it’s Franks as long as you’re happy with their moderate selection.
The bar is better at Franks. If you’re going for a pint, then Frank’s bar is more open and spacious. At Bossa you’re locked behind a glass screen at the back of the building. At Frank’s, the open bar area to the left as you walk in is a more inviting and happy place to be.
So there you have it, no clear winner, but depending on what kind of evening you have in mind, how close you live to either, and how far you have to walk or Uber to get home each have their advantages over the other.
