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Best of the brasseries
Ellen Widdup, Evening Standard21 Aug 2008
A trio of French brasseries have been named as the perfect gastronomic solution to the credit crunch.
Côte, which has three London branches, are the best-value restaurants in Britain according to the 2009 edition of the Good Food Guide, published by Which?
At about £22 a head the French-inspired menu includes tuna nicoise, grilled freerange chicken from the Landes region, Roquefort butter and homemade frites.
The Côte team includes two founders of Italian food chain Strada, which they launched in 1999 and sold five years later for a reported £56 million to restaurant magnate Richard Caring.
Now Andy Bassadone, the former managing director of Caprice Holdings, and chef Chris Benians hope to replicate its success, bringing quality French food to the high street in a direct challenge to chains such as Café Rouge.
The pair, backed by Mr Caring, now own three Côte restaurants - in Wimbledon High Street, Wardour Street, Soho, and Hill Street, Richmond.
Côte offers diners free filtered water, and a two-course lunch for under £10. Mr Bassadone said he hoped it would fill a gap in the market currently swamped with affordable Italian food.
"We want to create somewhere that our customers can rely on when they come home in the evening and find that there is nothing to eat in the fridge. We want Côte to be a better French restaurant than anything else in its price category and to surprise everyone with its quality." The Good Food Guide said Côte offered "fantastic value and presentation". A spokesman added: "The menu veers towards Provence with specialties including pissaladiere, a traditional flatbread from Nice served with caramelised onions and anchovies. Bayonne ham with celeriac remoulade, steak, crisp duck confit and an intense chocolate pot are typical choices."
The decor and design have also been praised. They are by Martin Brudnizki, who designed Strada and Scott's in Mayfair. The guide said Côte had "all the informality and buzz of a classic Parisian bistro".
The other London winner in the Good Food Guide's editor's choice awards is Marcus Eaves, up-and-coming chef of the year.
The 27-year-old, formerly sous-chef to Shane Osborn at the two-star Michelin Pied à Terre, runs the kitchen at L'Autre Pied, Blandford Street, Marylebone.
The Good Food Guide says he "displays a cool, mature approach to some attractively understated cooking" and delivers " dazzling flavour".
The Good Food Guide 2009 is published on 4 September, priced £16.99. It can be ordered on 01903 828557, at www.which.co.uk/books or bought from bookshops.
Reader views (3)
The photograph of the directors hardly suggests diners will get a friendly welcome!
- Jake, London UK, 22/08/2008 01:56
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I have been to Cote. It is really good.
- Doug Shaw, London, 21/08/2008 15:30
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I went to Cote in Wimbledon village for the first time last Friday night. It was incredible. The food was outstanding. In fact, it was some of the best food I've had in London for a long time. The atmosphere was warm and inviting too and the bill was a pleasant surprise too. It's great news that they've got the award but don't just think of Cote as a budget restaurant. It's much more than that. It was a real treat. I'll be going back soon - that is if I can get a table.
- Andy Clarke, London, England, 21/08/2008 14:34
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