Ms. Hen reviews Paul and dreams of eating a croque-monsieur chicken

Paul

631 Assembly Row

Somerville, MA 02145

Ms. Hen recently had lunch with one of her chicken friends at Paul, a bakery and café in Somerville, in Assembly Row, a new shopping destination that Ms. Hen has described as Newbury Street  (a trendy, high-rent district) plopped down into the Kmart shopping center. Ms. Hen thinks it’s a strange place, an afterthought that somebody came up with to make the strip mall more appealing.

One of the gems of this afterthought is Paul. Ms. Hen has been there a few times and the ambience is relaxing and the pastries are gorgeous. Ms. Hen’s friend ordered the croque-monsieur turkey and Ms. Hen ordered the croque-monsieur salmon, which both came with a side salad. They ordered chocolate macarons for desert.

Ms. Hen’s chicken friend loved the croque-monsieur turkey. The sandwich had cheese melted on the outside of the bread. Ms. Hen was a little disappointed with her salmon. She thought the salmon was a little fishy and not quite fresh, but the cheese on the bread on the outside was scrumptious. She wished she had gotten the leek quiche she had gotten before, which had the perfect flaky crust, just like they’re made in France.

Ms. Hen wondered why they didn’t have croque-monsieur with chicken, which was introduced by Jacques Pepin when he collaborated with Julia Child. Turkey is not usually a French way of making the sandwich. Ms. Hen thought Paul might have the turkey for the Americans, since Americans love their turkey. Ms. Hen would like a croque-monsieur with chicken. She will make that a lifetime mission of hers: to eat a delicious grilled chicken and cheese sandwich with melted cheese on top.

The place where the bakers make the pastries is open for the customers to see in the store. Ms. Hen didn’t want to be a nosy hen and bother the bakers, but she was curious about how the glorious pastries are made. Paul started in 1889 and it has been family owned since then.

The extra large chocolate macaron was the best pastry Ms. Hen has had since she has come back from France. They’re a little pricy, but worth every penny. Ms. Hen could eat every pastry in the store, but she would become a big fat hen.  She doesn’t want to be stuffed with chocolate, just small amounts will be fine for her, thank you.