HOT MEALS: Cote opens in Bath - Review

The latest addition to Bath’s restaurant scene opened its doors to the public for the first time last night.

Since the sudden closure of the Moon and Sixpence in March, the reopening of the Milsom Street premises as French restaurant Cote, has been hotly anticipated.

I went along to see if it had been worth the wait.

First impressions were very good.

Cote in Bath is bright and airy

The structure had changed very little. The upstairs was bright and airy, and seemed a little lighter than before.

I was pleased to see that the outside area had been kept, as it was always one of my favourite places in Bath for an al fresco drink.

Sadly there’s no option to just go for a drink, but if summer ever arrives it will be a lovely location for a sunny lunch.

Downstairs the atmosphere is perhaps a little more cosy and intimate – better for the winter months I think. And there’s an open plan kitchen which I always like.

We were immediately greeted by smiling staff who showed us to a table which made the most of the last of the day’s almost sunshine through the full length windows.

Unfortunately it in the line of fire from an air conditioning unit which was blasting out cold air, but when we mentioned it to the waitress she immediately offered to turn it off or let us have another table, so absolutely no complaints there.

We began the meal with my favourite of all drinks – a Kir Royal – which at £3.95 was very reasonably priced.

Kir Royal at Cote

We were also brought a carafe of filtered water without having to ask, a nice touch which is always appreciated.

Pissaladiere with rebochon

There’s a good selection of nibbles on the menu – we opted for the Pissaladiere, a traditional flatbread from Nice, topped with reblochon and thyme.

I’m a massive fan of Nice and its cuisine anyway and it didn’t disappoint.

The caramelised onions were soft and sweet but without crossing into marmalade territory, and the nuttiness of the cheese was perfectly complemented by the thyme.

There was a nice range of starters on offer, including several fish and vegetarian options, ranging from £4.50 to £7.95.

Steak tartare at Cote

I started with a steak tartare (£6.75). The meat was tender and had been mixed with shallots, capers, cornichons, egg yolk and cognac. It was very tasty, but my only criticism would be that it had been slightly over seasoned, but that’s a personal preference and in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the dish.

Smoked salmon

My partner’s smoked salmon (£6.25) came on a large plate – definite value for money. The crème fraiche drizzled over the fish cut through the richness beautifully and the capers were a good addition.

I selected my main course of veal cutlet (£13.25) off the specials menu, along with accompaniments of gratin potatoes (£2.95) and French green beans (£2.95).

The staff were knowledgeable about the products, and were able to tell me that the veal was raised at the same place as their steaks, in the Peak District.

Steak hache a cheval

It was encouraging to see that even though it may not have been “local” they were using British products. Not only does it cut down on the air miles but I could be assured that it had been ethically produced. I am still not sure however why the chicken has to come from Brittany. Apparently it is an area renowned for its poultry, but as I didn’t try any I couldn’t say if it was in any way superior to our home-grown produce!

The veal was moist and tender, and the accompanying sauce rich and buttery. The green beans were perfectly cooked, retaining a bit of crunch, and the gratin potatoes were divine. The sauce was the perfect balance of cheese, cream and garlic and every mouthful felt delightfully decadent.

My partner selected the steak hache a cheval (£9.75) which was basically a posh burger, without the bun. It was well cooked, with the meat remaining moist and the seasoning was spot on, elevating it above a ‘normal’ burger.

The selection of main courses was good, although the vegetarian options mostly appeared on the ‘light mains’ section so if you’re a hungry veggie you might be out of luck.

I was a little disappointed that the French classic Moules did not make an appearance. There were plenty of fish items, but as a dish which is, I think, synonymous with France, I would have like to see it there, perhaps in place of the seafood linguine, which, while it looked absolutely delicious, is less authentic I think.

The Cote speciality - creme caramel

The dessert menu was full of tempting treats. I chose the Cote speciality of Crème Caramel £4.50). It was infinitely superior to the lifeless versions found on supermarket shelves. It was smooth and creamy, almost like a crème brulee without the crunchy top, but at the same time light. The perfect end to the meal.

My partner chose iced berries with white chocolate sauce (£4.50). The cool, sharp berries coated in the warm white chocolate sauce were just delicious with the bursts of sharpness from the juice of the berries softened and almost cuddled by the creamy sauce.

Iced berries with white chocolate sauce

The wine selection was good – all French of course – with bottles starting from £14.50.

The menu is wide enough to have something to suit every palette and budget, and they also do great lunch and early evening deals.

The food is excellent value for the size and quality, and the staff were all friendly and knowledgeable which made for a great evening.

I would certainly recommend the new Bath branch of Cote to anyone.