Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Among the drab buildings in downtown Hyattsville, there stands a glittering neon beacon to hungry residents and passersby. Its called Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery and General Store, and it's hard to miss the restaurant's massive sign.

The sign may bring customers into the store, but there's more than just a garish logo to this restaurant. The restaurant brews nine different styles of beer and prepares a wide variety of dishes in styles ranging from Thai to typical American fare.

Décor wise, Franklin's employs warehouse-chic, with a wide-open feel to its two floors. It appears cavernous at first glance, but sitting upstairs feels much cozier than it appears from the lower levels, and it also offers a close-up view of the brewing tanks.

Many of the beers have unique names, such as Poorhouse Porter, Rubber Chicken Red Ale or Anarchy Ale, which feature a shifting recipe, as the batches are never prepared exactly the same way. Despite the light-hearted names, the beer at Franklin's is serious business.

The Belgian Tripel smells faintly of bananas and citrus, as most Tripel-style beers do. It has a crisp, clean taste, and the banana flavor is slightly stronger than the smell - but don't expect a Now and Later; the taste is in the background, not overpowering.

The Greek salad ($6.99 small, $8.99 large, add grilled chicken for $3 or grilled salmon for $5) was surprisingly satisfying. Not to gush over a salad, but it is nice to see fresh vegetables - tomatoes and cucumbers may be out of season, but they still looked respectable - and a satisfyingly tart house lemon-herb vinaigrette. It stops just short of causing pucker faces but still plays up great flavors.

Franklin's has pizza in traditional flavors - Margherita ($8.99) a more authentic Italian version of plain or pepperoni ($9.99), but there are far more interesting flavors available as well.

The Thai Chicken Pizza ($9.99) has smoked chicken, a spicy peanut sauce, toasted peanuts, bean sprouts and cilantro. The chicken manages to avoid turning into dried-up chicken-flavored lumps, as is the case with most chicken that faces the high temperatures of a pizza oven. It stays surprisingly moist, and the crunch of the toasted peanuts and crisp bean sprouts provides a nice contrast of textures.

The peanut sauce is a great spicy complement to the other flavors of the pizza. It doesn't overpower with extreme heat but offers just enough back-of-the-throat heat to keep you sipping your drink at least every couple of bites.

But the key ingredient of a pub of this style is its ability to prepare pub food - burgers, sandwiches and the like.

One of the current seasonal specials pairs two American classics, and despite their seemingly unrelated nature, it works spectacularly. Named after the Sex Pistols album, the Nevermind the Bollocks dog ($8) splits a hot dog down the middle, then adds the corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing - a Reuben dog, of sorts.

While this might seem a little off, the cured nature of the two products creates a surprising balance. It's something to go check out before it's no longer on the special menu.

Franklin's is a great change of pace from the College Park dining scene, and it doesn't require traveling all the way into the city. The Route 1 Corridor route of Shuttle-UM stops at Franklin's, so transportation is quick and easy. For an area mainstay, Frankilin's provides good dining at fair prices, interesting takes on some American classics and top-notch beers, making it a great plus for the college crowd.

Tripp.Laino@yahoo.com

Article Tools