Frank's Kitchen makes itself at home in the Whittier neighborhood

Mark Manger

Frank and Dina Berta didn't set out to open a restaurant. Instead, they were exploring the idea of a food truck, and searching out locations for a commercial kitchen that would serve as their commissary.

But then they found the storefront in the Whittier neighborhood where the Far East Restaurant had shut its doors last year, noticed the foot traffic and other activity around it -- and soon their plans changed.

Frank, who'd run a construction operation, and Dina, a former Rocky Mountain News and Nation's Restaurant News scribe, decided to put their truck idea on hold while they moved full speed ahead with a brick-and-mortar spot. And in May, the couple opened Frank's Kitchen.

The Bertas wasted no time in settling into the neighborhood, making it their goal to become integral to both the residents and nearby businesses. And as a result, their tiny, eclectic restaurant -- which serves everything from spaghetti and meatballs to banh mi to meatloaf -- feels like it might have held down this corner for years.

This week's review took me to Frank's Kitchen, where I ate through the menu and got a taste of what it means to this couple to be good neighbors.

How was the food? Find out tomorrow when the review is posted here.