By Alan Cornett
Special to NKyTribune
Back in the spring I was impressed with the new direction standby family restaurant Frisch’s was cooking up. Frisch’s recently invited me back to their Covington restaurant to taste their new lineup of Western BBQ Primetime sandwiches and see their initial renovated restaurant space.
Head Chef Greg Grisanti has taken his earlier Primetime Burgers creation in a new direction with three Western BBQ Primetime Sandwiches. Using the same custom brioche bun debuted for the deluxe Primetime Burgers in the spring, and adding an original tangy Double B Low ‘n Slow BBQ sauce created by Chef Grisanti, the new sandwiches are then topped with real cheddar cheese, thick bacon, and three hand breaded onion rings.
Details like their dedicated onions, a barbecue sauce that has no high fructose corn syrup, and a brioche bun baked by Klosterman just for them, shows that Frisch’s is serious about upping its ingredients game
I was impressed with Frisch’s onion rings at my last visit in the spring, and their use on the sandwiches is an inspired idea. Chef Grisanti explained that Frisch’s has its own supplier of onions in Idaho that are delivered to Frisch’s size specifications.
Details like their dedicated onions, a barbecue sauce that has no high fructose corn syrup, and a brioche bun baked by Klosterman just for them, shows that Frisch’s is serious about upping its ingredients game.
Better ingredients are always going to result in better taste.
The new Western Primetime Sandwiches take the Primetime label beyond just burgers, though. Using the same Western Primetime sandwich architecture, you can decide whether you want a cheese burger, crispy chicken, or grilled chicken sandwich. Frisch’s gave me the chance to try all three and I have to say I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them (secret confession: I liked the burger the best).
Head Chef Greg Grisanti has taken his earlier Primetime Burgers creation in a new direction with three Western BBQ Primetime Sandwiches
Not only were the new burgers–and snazzy new menus–on display during my visit, but you can’t overlook the new Frisch’s restaurant space that has debuted in Covington. They’ve updated to a more contemporary look while still drawing from the retro diner vibe that is at the core of Frisch’s history.
Vintage Frisch’s and Big Boy pictures are on the walls with cool Edison bulb light fixtures hanging over the booths. There’s even a dedicated kid’s coloring station. Big Boy himself has even gotten a bit of a twenty first century makeover.
Speaking of Big Boy, they’ve moved the iconic Big Boy statue everyone loves from the street to the front door. They discovered that everyone was climbing over fences and landscaping for a Big Boy selfie.
Frisch’s decided to give people what they want and make Big Boy accessible to all.
Since this is the first renovated Frisch’s, they’re using it as a test case to see what works and what people like before making tweaks for the full rollout at a Frisch’s near you. It’s clear that Frisch’s is breathing with new life and the new team is taking the venerable restaurant chain in an exciting direction.
But the Western BBQ Primetime Sandwiches are already at your favorite Frisch’s right now.
All photos by Alan Cornett
Alan Cornett is chief eater and writer for EatKentucky.com. A native of Clay County, he has been eating in Kentucky for decades. Follow Alan as he eats his way through the Commonwealth, exploring its restaurants and foodways. Alan lives, eats and writes in Lexington.
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