Rat Pack Cafe: Ocean's Eleven would be right at home
by Margaret LeRoux
The spirit of Frank Sinatra is alive at the Rat Pack Cafe in Framingham. This classy joint is a swinging tribute to the bad boys of Las Vegas who are pictured on the walls. The bar is decorated with Rat Pack memorabilia, including one of Frank's felt "lids." There's live music every night by a piano player who favors jazzy Sinatra tunes.I was one of a couple of dames who showed up for a late supper on a recent week night. The two of us admired the golden, faux leather walls; the curved, padded banquettes; and the artsy metal sculpture of dancing couples fencing in the small lounge. Booths and banquettes line the walls; the middle of the room is filled with tables for two or four. The table decor is black (napkins) and white (tablecloths), with pretty shaded lights and full place settings of heavy cutlery. Serving dishes for the appetizers are gleaming black, and dinner plates bright white.This place feels like one of those cocktail parties your parents used to give. Veteran restaurateur Ronnie Catanese, who owns the Rat Pack, explains the eatery fulfilled his goal of a "living large" restaurant offering "fine wine and good, but not pretentious food." The place exceeds his dreams, with imaginative offerings in all categories.
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