Reviews by hackettlad

Planet Organic (Organic Food Shop)
28 November 2009

What can you say? The original and the best. The grocery section is always innovative, if sometimes expensive; but the quality is first rate (Waitrose regularly copies the ranges stocked here but much, much later). The buffet is cheap but very good quality. It's canteen fare but the best you'll get in central London (organic, pretty fresh, good vegetarian range and the cakes are far, far better than Patisserie Valerie next door). Take away or eat-in in Wagamama-style benches, it's all very unpretentious but fabulously good value for money. The staff are helpful and always cheerful and polite. No, I'm not a shareholder, but I'd buy into this shop if I could.

So many cafes/restaurants in London think it's enough to concentrate on décor or branding and yet the food is disappointing (Charlotte Street Hotel, Paul's and Le Pain Quotidien spring to mind). Planet Organic's mission is simply to provide the best quality organic food in a functional setting with no delusions of grandeur. Many have tried to copy, none have it got it right.

Paul (Baker)
28 November 2009

God knows what reviewers below think is "wonderful", judging by the plaudits being lavished on this mediocre cafe passing as an artisan-boulanger. The problem is, since choice of quality French patisserie is so dire in London, rubbish like Paul's is rated highly. A dodgy baker in Strasbourg-St Denis would run rings round this pretentious cafe (which even has a branch in Versailles, funnily pretty empty).

Sandwiches bland and meagrely filled, uninspired and uninspiring cakes and tea weak and insipid. What can I say? If you spend your money at Paul's, you're a mug. Tout-a-fait horrible.

De Gustibus (Cafe / Baker)
28 November 2009

Apropos Harry C's comments re Paul, so true. Mediocre, pseudo-French stodge dressed up as haute patisserie. A humble boulanger in some dive in Strasbourg-St Denis could run rings round it.

Carluccio's (Cafe / Delicatessen)
08 November 2009

Disappointing. Used to be really excited about Carluccio's when it first opened and there was a good menu with reasonable pricing. Now, all they seem to serve is stale cakes and lukewarm tea. There are better places to go.

Le Pain Quotidien (Baker / Cafe)
08 November 2009

Average really. Have eaten at Marylebone and St Pancras. The former has inordinately slow service, with croissants a little stale. The latter had pretty fresh stuff but all ridiculously overpriced if you consider a bog standard pastry at Delice de France at Gare du Nord would be about 50c. As for the rest of the menu, uninspiring and bland. Unfortunately another London restaurant cafe which promises much in terms of decor but can't deliver on substance. Quel dommage.