Côte is generally a reliable option for a good value meal cooked to a pretty high standard.
That definitely constitutes the world’s worst mission statement! I would definitely fire my strategy team if they came up with that, but it is true. You see a lot of Côtes around and they follow a simple formula that works well.
Except things are changing…
What, exactly, is wrong with a classic Negroni? My first introduction to them was in Côte when they were the free cocktail of the month and I instantly fell in love. That may possibly have been caused by me finishing someone else’s (it is a very acquired taste), and the slightly narcotic effect that ensued, but Côte had absolutely cracked it: perfect food, perfect drinks, excellent value.
But no, if you want a Negroni now you have to have a “Rose Negroni”. Don’t. I tried one a few weeks back and it was a waste of good spirits.
Last night, after a particularly awful day, we rolled into Côte in Sloane Square just after a quarter to ten. Our greeting was “the kitchen shuts at 10, so you can only have one course”. Not the cheery welcome you want, but we were hungry and there was no guarantee that anything better would turn up. Not sure if we were being punished, but we were shown to the table by the toilets…
Anyhow, something strange has happened to the menu. In an attempt to emulate the Ivy, they have changed to format (it is more horizontal) and messed around with the food choices. It’s hard to put your finger on, but it used to be hard to choose because you could eat anything: now it’s hard to choose because you’re not sure you want anything at all.
This is where the Negroni fits in. They absolutely refused point blank to serve anything other than the Rose version, and were quite pointed about it. The customer is always right at Côte, so long as there is a matching button on the tablet screen.
On the subject of tablets, when I told them about my peanut allergy, they plonked a tablet on the table and told me to scroll through it to see if my choice had peanuts in or not: Honestly, it is about the least customer friendly way of helping people choose, especially as the screen kept locking. Just print allergy info on the menu.
This is feeling more rant than review, but honestly when you are frazzled and have had a difficult day, and are in an unusual place, you seek out the comfort and familiarity of a chain you have enjoyed before. So it’s frustrating when the ethos is not universal (and on that subject avoid Côte in Lewes: It was a Lewes culinary high point last time we went, but only because every decent independent restaurant had closed post-COVID. We’re back in the summer, hoping that the local scene has recovered).
The single course we were allowed finally arrived, mine festooned with more flags than the Coronation (one benefit of a food allergy is your food is always gaily decorated). And mine was good, breaking my usual tradition of ordering the one thing a restaurant can’t cook well. It was Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage, and it was really lifted by the little silverskin onions. The dauphinois potatoes had spent much of the previous evening under a heat lamp, but were nonetheless tasty.
My charming companion has sought safety in the Steak Frites, a Côte staple. Many millions of these must have passed through the Côte kitchens over the years so you’d think this was foolproof. Alas, no. The chips were cold, and the steak barely lukewarm. She sent the chips back (as the first thing she tried) and it was too late by the time she tasted the steak to do the same with that. Fair play to the kitchen (obviously eager to get home), hot chips appeared just a few minutes later. An irritating lack of attention to detail: a kitchen should be able to get its orders timed so they go out simultaneously without resorting to heat lamps (or letting the food go cold)
I am beginning to think that Côte Richmond (my local branch) is an aberration in the Côte Universe, as I generally have a great meal there, at a reasonable price with good service (only the odd exception to spoil an otherwise excellent slogan). Maybe rotating a few managers from other branches through there would sharpen things up a bit. Côte has a great formula, but depending on how who’s doing the ingredient mixing, results may vary…
Rating: 3/5
Côte Sloane Square: https://www.cote.co.uk/restaurant/sloane-square
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