The House of Marinara

I have been to Can Can about 30 times over the past 2 years so it is a place that I have a bit a of familiarity. Most of these trips can be attributed to my friend Bookstore Piet persuading me to head on over to enjoy a late afternoon cocktail or two or three. Needless to say, I am comfortable with the place and, in fact, I really like it.

The trouble with Can Can is that grading it on value can be troublesome. I think in some ways, there is a whole lot of value to be found. Other times, the value is not as great. The difference is not due to inconsistency but instead the diversity of the menu.

On the low end, Can Can has remarkable value. Their $2 pastries rock. I am a fan of the plain croissant and the pecan roll. Their $9 cheeseburger is arguably the best in town. Their fries are addictive. Their steak frites are comparable to Outback prices and much better. Their French Onion soup is $7 but it is a meal unto itself. The raw bar is reasonable during happy hour. The $4 gruyere and cheese is awesome. Frankly, I have loved every sandwich that I have ever eaten there.

On the high end, the value can be questioned. Don’t get me wrong, the food is good. If money wasn’t an option, I would gladly buy their dinner entrees more often. That being said, at $10 for an appetizer and $27 for an entrée, I could be eating over at Acacia midtown. I almost think the brasserie atmosphere is a hindrance for them on the high end stuff. It’s fun and lively and just not a place you would expect to walk home with a $100+ bill.

The one way I would recommend experiencing Can Can’s high end side in a reasonable manner would be to try out one of their beer or wine dinners that usually only cost $50 a person.
So yes, there definitely is value at Can Can, you just have to choose to find it.