Paulette — Restaurant in London

Went on a Fri eve. Overall, the experience was fine but there are few considerations that make it ultimately not worth the money. Starting from the positives:

1. place is cosy, nice music, pretty tables and glasswares

2. service is friendly, attentive and un intrusive Then we go to the negatives:

3. food is really average, we had ox cheek. It was hard, chewy, whereas this dish is typically soft, succulent and the meet is opened in nice slices just with the fork.

4. cheese board. I have been tasting French cheeses for 20 yrs, they are the best in the world. Yet, the board was of rather cheep producers and quite plasticky feeling.

5. another dish was rather cheep and not very flavoursome, like French cuisine can be.

6. Wine: they have a staggering list of France. And French wines are the best. Yet you cannot find anything that tastes vaguely balanced, rounded and aromatic for less than £80-100.

So I am asking myself, is West London still a viable place where to go out and have a decent meal for less than £100 each? Probably not given the experience. Hence if we need to spend more than £100 each to just seat at a mediocre Bistrot, you might as well buy a cheap Eurostar and taste something actually nice or just travel East London, for instance Brown on Columbia Rd where you can actually taste the same dishes but properly cooked with a much bette value for money wine and 2/3...

Was I unlucky? Went to this place that would normally be over my casual dining budget because we use a half-price early dining website to try places out to go to in future. When asked how the food was, my response that the duck was overcooked was met with a smile and a backwards retreat. It was completely well done, not a hint of pink, dry and far from tender. The potatoes which not only had an awful taste but were also not cooked right we didn’t touch beyond the first taste. By the way Paulette, big chunks of undercooked fried potatoes are not fries. So despite the main being a massive disappointment we were still charged for it (we did eat the duck but I was surprised they didn’t remove the untouched “fries” from the bill) and neither of the serving staff seemed interested in whether we were satisfied of not. There was one decent dish - the terrine starter. The dessert was unimpressive (dessert selection cafe gourmand served with pod coffee). The wine was good but expensive. I can’t understand the 4.8 rating this place has it makes no sense. It’s a cute little shop/cafe with overpriced disappointing food and good wine. I guess the reviews are from people buying from the deli or buying the wine. I won’t be returning. There are vastly superior French restaurants that are half the price. Even Zedel’s is on a par cost-wise yet the food excellent. Probably at least...

Nestled in the picturesque alleyways between the canals and Warwick Avenue, Paulette stands as a heartbeat, an invisible thread weaving the melodies of countless pop songs and the delicate beginnings of innumerable love stories. Stepping through the door of this gastronomic sanctuary is akin to entering a daydream, free from unnecessary frills, with only a handful of tables standing in quiet elegance. Here, it's not just about dining; it's about plunging into a sensory reverie.

As a vegetarian, I consistently discover small delights on the menu, despite the roots in French cuisine. The wine selection is a palate symphony that surpasses my own knowledge. Yet, in my waiter, who appears to have stepped out of a Nouvelle Vague masterpiece, I find a confidant, a conductor who treats each guest as a unique friend.

Paulette transcends being merely a restaurant; it is a haven of comfort. Here, one doesn't feel like a guest but rather a member of the extended family, a feeling that solidifies even by the third visit. Amidst the bustling city lights, Paulette doesn't just offer a meal; it orchestrates a rendezvous of the senses, an invitation to surrender to the flow of the moment.

London, you are the home for so many of us. Let us linger and be uplifted by this moment, enveloped in the enchantment...