Paul
Adding to the local range of European fare around South Beach is Paul, a brilliant recreation of a classic French bakery/cafe that originally made its debut at the end of the nineteenth century in Lille, France.
There are four other sister stores of Paul around South Florida, but only this recent Lincoln Road location delivers the authentic design of the old country, from the walls of striated Zebrano wood to the elongated metallic lettering to the brick and marble details of the interior.
The fare: be prepared to be swept off your feet by the scrumptious artisan breads, baked from custom-grown, winter wheat and milled flour with natural ingredients.
If you're like many visitors, you'll be carrying home at least a few samples of brioche and rolls. For a lunch-time standard that stands out, try the Croque Monsieur sandwich, a brioche-type bread that is filled with Emmental cheese and Black Forest ham. Another classic to bite into on your inevitable return: the open-faced goat cheese toasty with chopped tomatoes and basil, served on a thin farmhouse bread. A sweet pastry (anything from a dazzling selection of pains au chocolat, raisin danishes, or apple danishes), accompanied by a cafe au lait, makes for a fine mid-day or mid-morning refill.
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Paul - 450 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; Tel: (305) 531-1200