There are those who constantly search for the new and exciting – outlandish even – in their eating out. Others, in the majority I would say, like to have a good idea of what they can expect on the plate. And so our High Streets and shopping precincts are littered with familiar chains of food outlets: McDonalds is the most notable, I suppose, with Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Pizza Express and others coming along behind. Many are fast food outlets, but there has been a move towards chains places providing “proper” meals, mostly Italian, with Jamie Oliver to the fore. One such is PREZZO, which now has more than 170 branches, fifteen of them in London. In any one of these you may be sure of being offered a substantial choice of Italian anti-pasti, pasta, main dishes and desserts, with the assurance that the food will always be of the same composition and quality.
The only thing that makes every PREZZO different is the buildings they inhabit, which range from Olde Worlde Timber Framed Cottage style to steel and glass ultra modern. Near where we live there are two, one in Woodbridge and Aldeburgh. It was to the former that Mary and I repaired early one evening for a pre-concert meal.
“Have your reserved?” the young waitress asked as we entered. “For table at 6 o’clock?”, I thought. But the place was almost full and we were lucky to get one of the last free tables. This was very close indeed to another for two people, so privacy wasn’t on the cards. The atmosphere was busy and buzzy, with young staff (eastern European in the case of our server, whose Enlgiosh was fairly basic, but she did her job OK)
In catering organisations like PREZZO a lot of food must come in ready prepared – frozen or packaged with much of the kitchen work being preparation for table rather than mixing ingredients. This said, the food is very palatable and from the large menu there is something for everyone, from kidlet to oldie.
To indicate the variety, starters range from soup-of-the-day to baked mushrooms, chicken wings, Mozzaralla and crab cakes, as well as salads to share. Lots of popular pizzas, with unusual ones like Spicy Beef with red onion. Prices arrange from £8.45 to the “Executive” (‘Created by our Executive Chef, Paul Lewis’ and topped with spicy ventricina salami, roasted peppers, Bolognese sauce, red onion, marinated olives, buffalo mozzarella and tomato, at £12.95). Among the pastas, the Lasagne is fulsome, hot, meaty and creamily sauced. Rigatoni Arrabbiata (£9.15) has a slightly fiery theme along with the tomatoes, excellent.
Among main dishes I enjoyed a main dish of “Pollo Siciliana”, chargrilled chicken fillet, prosciutto and plum tomato baked with a blend of cheeses (£12.50). The freshly prepared salads can be recommended. The food occupies you, but between courses (and sometimes mouthfuls!) nearby conversations can be quite riveting.
When we arrived a young couple were at the next table. She obviously was more interested in a relationship than the boy, who was on his mobile most of the time, fixing up outings on his motor cycle. When it came to their next meeting, it had to be some days hence because of said outings. She was not a happy bunny and also paid for her food. We couldn’t see romance blossoming here.
As soon as they departed the table was taken by another couple, not quite so young and seemingly more devoted. He was 30-something, she was a bit younger. He was married, but not to her. It was the classic “My wife doesn’t understand me” chat.
‘She’s very difficult’, he said. She looked sympathetic, leaned a little across the table towards him. ’When I get home, she always asks me where I’ve been’.
I wonder why?
Yes, PREZZO has its moments.
Summary: for a reliable Italian food-fix it’s good. You can have a plate of Pasta and a glass of wine for under £10.00 or go three courses for twenty quid a person upwards.
PREZZO, 146 High Street, Aldeburgh Tel: 01728 54452
PREZZO, 1 Church Street, Woodbridge Tel: 01394 610401
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BACKGROUND – from the company’s Website
“The first Prezzo restaurant opened in Central London in 2000 and there are now more than 160 restaurants across the UK, from Aberdeen in Scotland to Falmouth in Cornwall.
The restaurants, which are all individually designed, have been built on the sites of a number of listed buildings or buildings of particular local interest.
Prezzo is renowned for offering a quality menu at value for money prices.
The company has won a number of awards – its chief executive Jonathan Kaye was named ‘Restaurateur of the Year’ in the Caterer and Hotelkeeper Catey Awards 2011.
In addition Prezzo was named as ‘best casual dining chain’ in the MIDAS Awards (2011), best pizza group by the BBC’s Olive magazine (2009) and Italian restaurant chain of the year in the PAPA (Pizza and Pasta Association) awards in 2009”.
