Paul, Holland Park, London

This may be the last millefeuille I enjoy from this place. My boyfriend has just come back quite upset by the sniggering staff.
They really ought to try a little harder considering the level of cake shop competition along this stretch of Holland Park Avenue.
The quality of products here is OK but not up to the standards of the European examples it models itself on. I generally get my cake fix here on a Sunday and the products are not always fresh. Service tends to be quirky-French, which has now obviously turned to rude. I actually walked out of another branch not so long ago when staff where too busy chatting to each other to serve me - tut, tut.
The cafe itself is not very cosy and rather exposed to the elements - I'll be happy to take my business elsewhere.

I agree. I only went in because it started raining. And I only bought something because the staff were so friendly, even in lunchtime rush hour.

But I’m glad I did - I had a nice Salmon & Spinach quiche (tourte) and a pretty good coffee.

Even though it’s busy and small, there was a girl at the back comfortably working her way through a big novel - which made me think it’d be quite a nice place to come and work or read for an hour or so in the morning or afternoon. They have wifi.

I actually really like Paul. I did have an aversion to it, which was basically bigotry against anything French, but it has won me over.

Their bread is over priced but good quality. The coffee is reasonably priced. The cakes and things are very delicious but the winner is the hot chocolate. Which is so thick it seems like they just melt a bar and put piping hot into a cup.

This branch is situated in the Francophile area of Holland Park and is always quite busy. Very cosy, i.e. tables very close together and not much room for manouvering.