Bored housewives make great businessesSo back on my Dell to post this...need to go for a course on Mac for dummies...
On Sunday, Paolo my wonderfully creative friend and Rob who is also swimmingly lovely and I went to Raoul's Deli in Little Venice, just a short stroll from the Vale. We tried to go to The Waterway for a coffee but it was jam packed so decided to stroll along a little more and ended up at Raoul's.

Raoul's is an example of a great deli with a few seats outside to enjoy your coffee or any treats you picked up inside. I used to see Ben there many mornings sipping his coffee when he was erm... 'working from home.'

Luckily we were able to find a table outside to people watch and enjoy our coffees, brownies (which were choco-liscious) and some of the great juices they stock e.g. Guarana juice and other organic apple juices.

There is a cafe/restaurant across the road and both establishments along with their location in Notting Hill are very welcoming and designed so well that they are a pleasure to be in. The restaurant for Sunday brunch has a long queue outside the door so you know they must be doing something right when there are two other breakfast places nearby where you can get a table.

At the deli the fresh cheeses, breads and produce displayed in the open and in wicker baskets is welcoming and warm, it is like entering a little shop in France or Italy although much more modern. It is a place for looking at all the various types of cheeses, pastes, olives, candies, sweets, breads, sauces, pastas and other delicacies you wouldn't find in your bog standard supermarket. They also have a nice cold buffet selection for those days when you can't be asked to cook after a day at work. It is a little pricey but as are all food shops in London not serving you stale bread and bagels that would break your newly whitened teeth.

Geraldine, the owner was kind enough to let me take photographs so enjoy! From their website, 'Located in the heart of Maida Vale in Little Venice, Raoul's was established in December 1985 through the drive and determination of a self-proclaimed "bored housewife" Geraldine Leventis. Geraldine was used to entertaining large numbers of guests over the years, one of whom was the painter Francis Bacon, and it was he who pressed her into opening her own restaurant.

She also looked fab working in the shop that day.

Rob is a fan of deli/cafes and is also a bored city worker so perhaps this will be his next venture. Look out for his work in collaboration with Il Paolo and perhaps there will be a Roberto's opening sometime soon in the Richmond-y neighbourhoods. An Italian-Brit combo which would be a welcome addition to some neighbourhoods who's only pastry/bread is from that awful Greggs chain.

Another post will be 'why are there not more good Italian bakeries in London?'