Looking through lists of cafes when planning an afternoon outing to Harborne to see the Christmas lights turn on, I stumbled upon Paul at No 41.

In contrast to typical cafes, upon entry we were handed menus and our order was taken at the table, then brought over when ready. Due to this, the experience was rather calm and peaceful, as we did not have to hurriedly decide what we wanted to order under the expectant gaze of the person behind the till.

To drink, I wanted something sweet, but light, and I think I made the perfect choice with the bluntly named ‘Fruit Smoothie’. Containing nine different fruits, the smoothie was deliciously thick and aptly filling. With standout notes of strawberry and blueberry, but a clear undercurrent of the other seven flavours packed in there, the smoothie was exactly what I was hoping for. It was so tasty that it has tempted me towards the ‘Vegetable Smoothie’ the next time I return, as I trust it will have an equally delicious flavour profile.

‘Paul’s signature’ desserts were written on a chalk board above the counter. Whilst some of these were not available, we were informed of the delicious sounding options that had been made to replace them. 

We opted for the Millionaire’s Shortbread. Plated with a selection of fresh berries, and positioned neatly inside a cardboard casing, drizzled with hardened chocolate, the actual execution of the shortbread left something to be desired. The presentation within the cardboard casing left us wondering how exactly to eat the shortbread. Attempts to break into the chocolate with a fork resulted in failure, but it was equally difficult to separate the casing from the gooey caramel underneath.

Once finally extracted we discovered the source of the problem: an unprecedentedly thick and creamy layer of solid white chocolate, that was worth all the effort it took. The crumbly shortbread base and the (ever so slightly too sweet) gooey caramel middle adequately accompanied the chocolate. Sharing the shortbread between two was certainly the right move as it would have been too heavy to consume alone.

For a Saturday afternoon, the cafe had a comfortingly mellow atmosphere, with only about three or four other tables filled. The result of this was excellent customer service: a friendly greeting upon entrance, and a short wait for our food. An array of dangling overhead lightbulbs illuminated the walls tastefully, covered with beautiful paintings. This warm lighting, as well as the spiral-backed chairs and tiled tables, created a clean and cosy environment perfect for casual conversation.

Though I myself did not have any, my eyes were caught on the intriguing compendium of teas available on the menu. From Plain Earl Grey to Mango Tea and Vanilla Bourbon Rooibos, it seems like the place to go to try out some unique tea flavours.

My largest qualm is that the prices – though not exorbitant – aren’t the most student-budget friendly. A nice treat, but not somewhere I would frequent going forward.

If you want a calm and peaceful atmosphere for a chat with a friend over a sweet dessert or a slightly luxurious drink, Paul at No 41 is the perfect place to drop by every now and then.

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