Franklin's in Hyattsville

The de-suburbanization of townships and the renewed interest in a "downtown" art's district with loft spaces and apartments for budding talent has taken hold even in Hyattsville, Maryland. At the center of this revitalization is a restaurant called Franklin's -- a general store turned microbrewery and ... well, a "general" store.

Do not be fooled by its title- "general" to "Franklin's" is like "black and male" to "Michael Jackson". The store is a large space jam-packed with colorful toys, games, and random oddities for the young and old. And I also found that the store was quite gay-friendly. Items of note included: a healthy selection of boas, Hallmark cards turned queer (something about a birthday gone wrong by the hands of some angered drag queen? I can't remember...), magnets (those kinds with old photographs, usually depicting some 1950's mother ladling martinis down her throat and all), and even gay gum (um ... always fresh?).

Our waitress was Shannon from the Midwest (oh my gash oh yeah you betcha), who's spunk was as addictive as their homemade bread pudding (however, there were just too many damned raisins, I must say). The dining area is very spacious, spread out over 2 floors with booths and tables decorated with colorful rainbow-checkered tablecloths. It still has the feeling of a large general store, or almost like an enormous modern loft, with enough hardwood and brick to deserve the label "quaint" and two thumbs up from this hungry bitch.

Speaking of food: the mixed bread basket was quite tasty, and my coconut curry chicken was certainly enough to fill this belly and consider not getting dessert *GASP*. They also have a great selection of beers- try the sampler (choose up to 9, I had 4 for $4.50) which comes on a round wooden board with numbered circular inserts for the glasses to identify which beer is which.

The cuteness just goes on and on, like watching Zac Efron scene-by-scene in Hairspray over, and over, and over, and over ... *ahem* - yeah just watching it once, that's all, and not more than once of course don't be silly what do you think I am a freak shutup.

Next visit to Franklin's I will try one of their famous pizzas and perhaps, if I'm daring, a slice of carrot cake (but I'll feel like the food critic in Ratatouille ... don't mess with my cake, bitches). Then I'd like to spend some more time in the general store, wading through pirate rubber duckies, candies that you cannot find at 7-Eleven, kitchen cutlery that is just damn cute, and a host of other items that scream gay, gay, GAY!

It's like Cracker Barrel- only more colorful and without the rockers and inbreeding.