Franklin Mortgage and Ranstead Room are two bars
that have
very similar concepts. Both play on the
1920s prohibition/speak easy era, neither serve vodka, and the drinks
are
marvelously inventive and delicious. I’ve
been to both recently adding to the handful of visits in the past, and
while I
am never disappointed with what my bartender is serving, I have come to
the
conclusion that I do prefer one bar over the other. So,
let’s break it down.
The entrance is off the street, down a set of
stairs, and
guarded by a man dressed in black. With
no windows or visible sign, it is easy to pass up or probably never
notice;
true speakeasy qualities! The décor is
handsome/cozy/true to the 1920s, and the lighting is perfectly balanced,
providing a subtle and appealing sexiness to the environment making
everyone
around seem mysterious and intriguing.
The wait staff is attractive/witty/charismatic wearing stylish
attire
that has hints of that old world glam while still being modern. While there is not a food menu, the cocktails
more than make up for any appetite that would be cured with a fork and
knife. The little black book of drinks
can be overwhelming with its ingredients and combinations, but you can
easily
rely on the fact that any selection made will be divinely pleasing. Whether I am gathering with one or five
friends, I have never been disappointed by Franklin Mortgage, and
honestly
there isn’t one bad quality I could find there.
The concept and its offerings are quite a success!
On to the next one…
Ranstead Room
The entrance is located in the middle of a dark
alley, and
the only light provided is shown dimly on the front door that is labeled
with
an “R”, making its appearance temptingly forbidden. The
décor is straight out of the 70s,
complete with questionably themed paintings and photos of
pirates/hookers/driver’s
licenses/porn stars, and the lighting is dim, so that reading the
cocktail list
by candlelight is actually necessary.
The wait staff carry tea lit candle holders creating an eerie,
glowing
orb of light reminiscent to scenes from Are
You Afraid of the Dark?. And the
outfits , they remind me more of a 1950s saloon keeper than chic 20s
speakeasy. I am not quite sure what the
intention is behind the music. The
volume is usually a little too low creating that weird, awkwardness
where your
voice is in between a whisper and a normal tone trying not to be the
loudest
person in the room yet also wanting what you’re saying to be heard by
those
sitting next to you. And, there also
happened to be one too many disco beats for my liking. Food
can be ordered from El Rey’s menu, since
Ranstead Room shares a wall with the kitchen.
And although it’s appealing to be able to order a few small
plates while
at the bar , I am not quite sure how Mexican cuisine ties into the
theme? The cocktail menu has about a dozen drinks
to
choose from, and a “bartender’s choice” option for the adventurous. I have taken the bartender up on their offers
numerous times and I have never been disappointed. Cheers
to you, bartender! But, excellent cocktails
aside, overall the
appearance(from what I could actually see) and vibe of Ranstead Room can
be quite confusing and sometimes
uncomfortable. It is not a place to
gather with more than one or two others without feeling like all eyes
are on you
(and not in a good way). However, if you
want a smashing drink and pirate hookers are your thing, you might find
this
spot to be rather appealing. No judgment!
The Conclusion…
While I’m not one to turn down a good drink,
Ranstead Room
has a discomforting and crazy, randomness to it that leads me to cast my
vote
towards Franklin Mortgage. I enjoy the
atmosphere and crowd, and the bar, overall, just seems a bit more sane
than its
contender. Franklin Mortgage all
around!
Great reviews! Ranstead gets my vote though. You're right about the inconsistencies, but i dont mind, i love the space and the drinks. F.M. is great too, luckily you dont have to choose!
ReplyDeleteMortgage loans are of so many types and are available and even used throughout the world. They may even be priced lower than any other type of borrowings.
ReplyDeleteMortgage Franklin
Franklin Mortgage hits you over the head with the 1920's theme. I don't need murals of Jack Dempsey on the wall to remind me of the era I owe my Manhattan variations to. The quirky, sex randomness of Ranstead is, I think, much more in the spirit of what made speakeasy's so alluring.
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