Figaro, November 11th 2007

Figaro

1 All Saints Street

Norwich

United Kingdom

NR1 3LG

01603 667809

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The trouble with Bella Italia, is that franchise or not, they just do what they do so damn well it's hard to find fault with it. They aren't the only Italian franchise to set up shop in Norwich either. Not only do Bella Italia have two restaurants, there's also a Pizza Express, a Prezzo, not to mention two Pizza Hut restaurants if these warrant inclusion in the same bracket. So in essence, it isn't easy to establish an Italian restaurant in the City, particuarly when you are competing with Bella Italia's reasonable prices, warm decor, and half price student Wednesdays at their Red Lion Street restaurant. In addition to these challenges, the day I visited Figaro wasn't exactly ideal. It was a rainy, miserable, frankly quite horrible day. The sort of day where there is simply no let up from the continiual downpour, and eventually after becoming as soaked to the bone as it is possible to be, you eventually miserably relent and accept your fate. This taken into consideration I wasn't in a particuarly good mood. I was in fact, in the mood to find fault, and to take out my sodden state on someone.

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The restaurant itself is located near John Lewis on the corner next to a roundabout. Far from an ideal location, next to a main road and isolated from the majority of Norwich's through traffic. It's another classic case of spiralling lease costs for the most prized restaurant locations pricing out independent eateries. The outside looked a bit like the cafe winebar year 11 graphics project I did. I got a B- for mine, let that tell you all you need to know about the outside of Figaro. The interior was what I might describe as 'faux Pizza Express'. The granite floor tiles and white tables made it abundantly clear that that was the intended aesthetic. Perhaps if the weather had shown some signs of improvement it might have looked more fresh, clean and contemporary, but in the dull light of the grey tones overhead it seemed a little cold and uninviting. More worryingly, the manager shuffled towards us with the air of someone who was not used to having customers to serve. Two of us ordered pizzas, one meat feast, the other with chicken and olives, whilst the third member of our party ordered a dish with salmon and salad. The pizzas were fine, the trouble is, they needed to be better than that. I was rooting for this place, I genuinely was, but in essence the food was at best no better than Bellia Italia or Pizza Express, in fact it was probably a little worse. There wasn't a great deal of salmon with the salad either, and what was there seemed a little bland.

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Figaro's biggest problem appeared to be that it is trying too hard to imitate the franchise blue print. The trouble with copycats is that they are rarely as good as their inspiration, and Figaro was no different. Granted, the location of the restaurant is unfortunate, but it is not terminal. It is still a walkable distance from the town centre, and people will make an effort to travel for good food. By copying a business that is already in a prime location, with an established brand name, serving similiar if not better food than your own, you are surely doomed to fail. Still, if you feel like being a little more ambitious than dining at the usual haunts, you may feel the desire to try one of Norwich's only independent Italian restaurants. Who knows, your ambition may rub off on them.