Chip R.
Yelp
Bottom line: Figulina has started out with 5 stars from me on my recent second night open visit. Delicious pasta choices, very helpful and positive staff, and good atmosphere.
The Deets:
I saw Figulina had opened up in the former Humble Pie space in downtown Raleigh, and decided to try them out on their second night open. The restaurant is reservation geared, even for a bar seat for 1 guest. Pro tip: when using Resy app for reservations here, you may not see all the bar seat reservations availability unless you put in 1 as number of guests. The restaurant itself is open and bright, and not every square inch is used for seating tables which is a nice vibe. There is even a display area where you can see their pasta being made in house. I was shown to my seat at the bar and my first bartender was very eager if not overzealous in making sure I knew all the positives of the food menu and all the offerings available, very informative. I decided to get their housemade sparkling lemonade for my beverage and enjoyed this choice...not too sweet, not too tart, great flavor and like the bubbles. I went with the Cappelletti (with short rib, mushroom conserva, served in a consommé) for my meal and the bartender said that was an excellent choice, and that I'd want a spoon to enjoy the consommé after I'd eaten my pasta. The pasta choice was delicious! And the bartender was right, the soup spoon came in handy to finish all that consommé left, it was like getting a two for one deal...good suggestion. I had a friend that lives downtown text me that she wanted to join me while I was eating so she made a bar reservation and came just a few minutes after that...however, since all the bar seats are by reservation, it did not work out that we could have seats side by side where I was sitting originally since we made reservations at different times. The staff worked it out and were very accommodating in that I could go to the other side of the bar with my friend and we continued from another bar location with another bartender. We decided to get one of the small plates to sample, going with the Lamb Rillette (served with sweet potato piccalilli and grilled soda bread). It was a nice small plate of shredded lamb meat slow cooked in fat and then can spread on the soda bread to enjoy. For her main meal, my friend got the Pappardelle (in Bolognese with Parmigiano Reggiano) and she liked it a lot. I got a couple bites of it and I had to agree, delicious choice. We were so full after all our menu selections that we did not have room for dessert this visit, but that just means another visit in the future! For a place that had just opened the night before, the food/service/atmosphere came together nicely and I am definitely visiting Figulina again, hopefully soon. All 5 stars this time.