It was Saturday morning and we were wondering where we are looking for a nice cafe to have our breakfast. But it was only 9 am in the morning and most of the cafes in Orchard were not opened for business yet. However, gladly, we found one that opens early- PAUL.
I’m somewhat familiar with PAUL because I’ve frequented their bakeries when I was in Paris. There have several bakeries located all over Paris, at major train stations and along one of those “rues” (streets in French). It’s pretty much similar to our local BreadTalk selling pastries,bread and baguettes to the masses. This French family bakery, which was found in 1889, has finally found it way here to Singapore.
There was so much hype about this boulangerie when it first opened its door at Takashimaya. There’s always lines forming outside the restaurant with hungry people waiting to get in. I was thinking, there must be something magical or wonderful about this restaurant right? But I had to nod in disagreement after tasting a slice of their glazed tarts.
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| Attractive, European-style furnishings. |
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| Looking pretty right? Don’t be fooled. Do you know how much calories is packed in each tart? |
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I can’t really decide what to have on their menu. Perhaps its the price that’s hindering me from making a quick decision as I felt that the pasteries are not reasonably priced. I would not mind paying $6 plus for a pear tart if it is warmed or heated up in the oven before serving. Instead, what I was paying for is a cold glazed tart that has lost its crisp and was charred on the underside. The tart was not exactly horrible, in fact, the filling tasted great but it has loses its crisp and it tasted like an overnight tart. I was not only dissapointed in the pastery but also the service. I had not idea why the waiter had to hurry us to place our orders.
So were the people attracted to this restaurant for its food or the beautiful furnishings? Maybe I’ve not tasted one of their best dishes yet?
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| Pear Tart |
Feeling a little dejected and dissapointed in the food at PAUL, my friend and I decided to head down to Jones The Grocer and ordered BLT.
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| This was good! Look at that thick chunk of avocada, slices of bacon and melted cheese! |
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| How could something so simple like a sandwich tasted so good? One key thing about making a good sandwich : use fresh ingredients. This BLT was packed with fresh tomatoes that are baked with spices and herbs. The bacon slices were not too oily and it has more meat than fats to it. Piled right on top is some fresh water chestnut leaves and a huge chunk of avocado. The chefs are Jones The Grocer doesn’t scrimp on its ingredients here. What you pay is what you get. |
