Anyone who has ever visited Carmody’s Restaurant in Franklin Park will remember two things right away — the late-’70s/early-’80s décor and the cheese balls.
The latter was a thick warm ball of provolone, breaded ever so slightly, and paired with a great marinara. The cheesey-tomatoey combo was one of the best bites I’ve ever had in my life.
Alas, my cheese-based world came crashing down when the place was closed to make room for a hotel. But last week, I heard about the new Carmody’s Grille in the old Neville Island Hotel, on Neville Island.
The Grille was opened by Paul Carmody and his brother, who are grandsons of the owners of the former venue. Carmody says that he, his father and sister all worked at the Franklin Park restaurant for years, before their father died, about 15 years ago.
Carmody said he and his brother decided to move forward with the new restaurant — buying and renovating the new location, and serving what he calls “upscale pub style.”
The Grille, just recently opened, has a more contemporary feel, but some old favorites — like the cheese balls — remain. The kitchen is using the same recipes.
Carmody says, “We only use fresh ingredients and we bread them and make them here on site, nothing frozen. That’s why they’re so good.”
And so worth the quick drive up Route 65.
