Girls Only Hangout: 'the store'

Dear Readers,

I've noticed that most of the patrons of Jeddah's trendy restaurants and cafes tend to be women. Often you can spot only one or two men in a restaurant full of women, so it was only a matter of time when a girls ony boutique/cafe/nail bar opened up in Jeddah.

Cue 'the store', I wasn't able to make it to their grand opening, but I headed over to it on Thursday at 5pm, to check out what they had to offer.

As soon as you walk into the place your are struck by the shabby chic decor, the wooden floorboards and complementing ceiling rafters, and the eclectic furniture and fittings from around the world, come together to create a country/homely feel.

My friend and I spent a few minutes browing through the clothes, which are unique pieces often made of silk or chiffon, with delicate detailing. We passed by the nail bar, and I told myself I'd come down for manicure  in a bit, but got rather distracted by all the food once I got upstairs.

The cafe is on the third-floor, with a terrace for outdoor seating, and as it was rather windy we decided to sit in doors.

My friend started of with a chicken taco sandwich, while I had a giant slice of carrot cake which was very good, and suitable for sharing. I had my usual lemonade with mint. They have all day breakfast menu, and variety of sandwiches to choose from. While we talked away the afternoon, we realised we could go for more food! We ordered a banana pancake, and a buttermilk chicken burger to share. Both were absolutely divine, we will definitely be going back for the food. There were one or two bugs about which was annoying and I hope they do something about that, and I hope they add french fries to the menu. Otherwise it was a great experience, and great venue for breakfast or hi-tea.

I hope you like the photos below, and please do feel free to share your own experiences and comments.

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Best French Cafe and Bakery in Jeddah: Paul

I finally made to Jeddah favourite French import, the Paul Cafe and bakery which is  cosily ensconced behind Sands hotel off Tahliya Street.

As you enter from the bakery section sweet delights dazzle you. Everything looked mouth-wateringly good, and it is a bit like walking into to Tiffany’s/Fitaihi jewellery store, you want to buy everything, except at Paul’s even if you did, it wouldn’t leave a deadly dent in your bank account.

The view

We chose to be seated in the smoking section which is very cheery, spacious and with a view, despite being non-smokers who mind second-hand smoke. Why, you may ask did we put our health and more importantly, our moods at risk, well paradoxically the non-smoking section is small and dark, with dark leather seating and very dim lighting. I could almost imagine it being part of a smoking/billiards room in a quaint Victorian era household.

We were able to get a table near the window which overlooked the outside seating area. We were offered the breakfast menu as it was around 11 in the morning. The place was full of eager patrons, while a few waited for seats; the majority were women of course, as I’m sure they truly appreciate the ambience.

photo credit lastika

The restaurant area is divided into sections; the walls in our section were painted a pale green with regal gold embellishments. The interior is rather grand compared to Paul's in other countries, but then, it has to be, both to suit local tastes and its posh location. The staff donned white aprons and white chef hats, and were tres busy bustling about in the kitchen and dining area. The tables are quite close together, which is something we are not  used to in Saudi, and it reinforces the feeling that you are in an authentic French cafe.

photo credit lastika

We took our time ordering, as the menu is in French, so you need to read the English descriptions to decipher it. We finally decided on a cheese and mushroom omelette and ‘Paillason bacon’ potato pancake with onions and beef bacon, both were served with a side of salad. I ordered my favourite frozen lemonade with mint although most patrons were sticking to the French breakfast staple-orange juice.

Our order took its time to arrive, but they were very busy, and I was rather amazed and at how deftly the waiters picked their way through the crowded tables.

photo credit lastika

 

We were served with a basket of soft bread with butter and jams, which had a cottage/homemade look about them and were aptly served in petite earthenware pots.

When our food did arrive, the potato pancake was cooked to golden perfection, it was warm and aromatic and I could not stop eating it. The beef bacon was beautifully crisp ,and cut so each piece was lined with a strip of fat. The salad fresh and crunchy with just the right amount of dressing. My friend’s omelette was quite large, and I could taste the cheese, as it melted away in my mouth.

Bakery decor

The meal was tasty, wholesome and filling; it didn’t leave us feeling overly greasy and we finished it in no time at all.  No trip to Paul is complete without a dessert, as we were quite full we decided to order a strawberry cake and a strawberry éclair for takeaway- and as expected they were absolument délicieux!

Macaroons, pies, tarts, cakes and more

Next time you want to catch up with the girls do it over breakfast or brunch at Paul, and I guarantee you will enjoy it.

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