"Our inspiration for the food and design of Cote is a modern interpretation of the many famous bistros of Paris. Inspired by new trends, we are dedicated to serving authentic classic brasserie dishes with a modern twist, using high quality produce at great prices"
We were welcomed by the maitre d' who took us to our table. He was very friendly and I immediately felt relaxed. The staff knew we were there to review the restaurant, and we were given special treatment such as the Kir Royales that were brought to our table as we perused the menu. However, I would like to think that the customer service we experienced would be the same if we had just walked in off the street, just without the free fizz! After an 11 hour shift at work, it was so lovely to sit back and enjoy a dinner date with my man!
Cheers!It took us a while to decide what to order - there really is so much choice and it all sounds fantastic.We ended up ordering starters of French Onion Soup (£5.25) and Baked Crottin, a traditional Goat's Cheese from the Loire Valley, served warm with lamb's lettuce and apple salad, walnuts, croutons and golden raisins (£5.95). Rick was amazed at the size of his soup with a giant cheesy crouton on top, and the waitress said that it wasn't a starter for a first date as it was a bit tricky to eat! Just as well we've been together a while now! My Goat's Cheese was delicious. The variety of textures and flavours in the salad was just beautiful and the warm cheese was oh so perfect. Yum! I should also mention the complimentary filtered water which we had on our table throughout the meal - the Cote branded bottle was a really nice touch.
French Onion Soup
Baked CrottinFor mains I ordered the fillet steak (medium) with Bernaise Sauce (£18.95 plus £1.95 for the sauce); the steak was served with frites. Rick opted for the Poulet Grille (£11.50) - chargrilled butterflied chicken breast with wild mushroomm, creme fraiche and thyme sauce served with gratin potato. Oh and of course I had to try some French beans too (£2.95). The steak was possibly medium-rare but it was really tasty and the sauce was just delicious. I had a forkful of Rick's chicken and it was equally good, and such great value for money.
Despite demolishing my starter and main, I was still keen to try the puds. I ordered the Tarte Fine aux Pommes (£5.50) and Rick chose the Creme Brulee (£5.35). I have such a sweet tooth, and this apple tart was a highlight for me. The crisp, flaky pastry and the warm, soft apples topped with vanilla ice cream were just to die for. I could have easily had more than one portion! Again, I snuck a spoon of the Creme Brulee (for review purposes of course!) and it was a gorgeous consistency. I think sometimes it can be tricky to get it right, but this was spot on.
The surroundings are just beautiful. I love the art deco style, the unique light fittings and the tiled flooring. It's a lovely venue. I could quite easily have been in France somewhere for the night! I checked out the toilets, as you do, and they were equally lovely. My only comment would be the wooden toilet seats which didn't fit very well and personally weren't to my taste.
Bathroom selfie!So my overall thoughts? A definite thumbs up from us - fantastic food and service at great prices. We will most certainly be back. We've already picked up our Breakfast Club keyrings - join the club and you can have a complimentary hot drink with each breakfast for you and your guests every weekday.
We received a complimentary meal in exchange for this review - as always opinions are honest and are my own.
