Côte

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

Two meals out, two draughty venues. 

In a perishing January.

One episode was documented already:

 https://minhallandjones.com/blog/2023/1/15/28-50 but the situation was resolved.

Worse was to come.

A branch of Côte near to the Royal Festival Hall on London's South Bank was the meeting point for an early supper with friends.

It's a busy place, a perfect location for so much which happens nearby, art, music, theatre, skateboarders, dawdling tourists etc .. They need another door post the entrance. Every time new guests showed up there was some sort of Arctic blast also making an appearance.

The starters arrived before the drinks. I had a bad feeling. The two pals opted for the set menu but there was nothing there to tempt me so I opted for this from the a la carte menu ..

CRAB MAISON - CRAB, AVOCADO, CUCUMBER, CAPERS, RED ONION, MAYONNAISE, TOASTED BAGUETTE - £10.50

Sloppy gloop. I think there were 2 or 3 capers, barely any red onion & binoculars to find any firm piece of crab. The bread was alright.

Here comes the main ..

POULET BRETON - CORN-FED MARINATED HALF CHICKEN, WATERCRESS, GRATIN DAUPHINOISE POTATO - £16.75 

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

I checked twice as to whether or not the chicken was cooked right through. A phone torch was shone onto it at one point.

One friend: "It's the reflection of your red wine making it look that way."

Other friend: "Is it the overhead lighting?"

To be fair it did look like it had been cooked properly, however, seeds of doubt had been sown & therefore I left most of it.

With a glass of red plus the service charge I parted company with just shy of £45.00.  

No return visit is planned. The tube home was warmer than Côte had been. 

AMM