Good Morning Lovelies,
Last night, I was meant to head to the brilliant Côte Brasserie in York, however, due to some tummy issues, I couldn’t make it! Yet, the fantastic team I have made sure that the opportunity wasn’t missed to try out their new Alpine Menu and took over for me!
Kindly offered to us by a PR, we were booked in to be seated at 7:30pm on the 2nd February. Although it was a Friday, the restaurant wasn’t too busy. In fact, it was nice and cosy, which is just what you want when trying an Alpine inspired menu. Although the team didn’t wear the skiwear attire that could have got them free drinks.
Seated right away, our waiter Zak, was so lovely and professional when taking all of our orders. Starting with our drinks! Alexa, who headed down to the restaurant to review it for me, decided on the alcohol free, Spiced Apple Highball, priced at £6.95. Made up of cold-pressed apple juice and Fever-Tree spiced orange ginger ale, with a hint of rosemary and a dried apple slice, the cocktail was refreshing, sweet and perfect on a Friday night out. Her partner Dave opted for a cool cider, which was also the perfect accompaniment to the rest of the meal.
Upon having taken their order, Zak returned with their starters and olives to begin the night with. Having chosen from the Alpine Menu again, Alexa was served the Diots dish, which costs £8.95. The dish includes smoked Toulouse sausage and cherry tomatoes sautéed in white wine with thyme, butter and caramelised onion, all served with a freshly baked sourdough baguette. Portioned out generously, the meal was hearty but light, not being too feeling before the big meal. It was said to be full of flavour, with the refreshing tomatoes mixing well with the thyme and smoky sausage. It’s a dish that would be perfect to enjoy all year round.
For Dave’s starter, he chose to enjoy the calamari, which came out with a slice of lemon and a gorgeously mixed Provençal mayonnaise. Again, the portion sizes, taste and look of the meal could not be faulty. With a great starter having been had, the excitement for the main had been built for the two.
Sticking with the Alpine Menu options, Alexa chose the Tartiflette dish for one, priced at £14.95. Also available in a luxe edition for two, the dish contains a gratin of sliced potatoes, caramelised onion and smoked bacon lardons, all topped with melted Reblochon and Comté cheese. Served alongside a green salad and again a freshly baked sourdough baguette. Upon tasting it, Alexa sent me a message containing a photo of the meal and the word outstanding alongside it.
Creamy, well portioned and providing a taste that had her stating she would go back for it again. The meal couldn’t have been better. With the most perfect atmosphere, great company and beautiful cosy feels, Côte Brasserie had made a main course that delighted every single sense.
Something that was matched with Dave’s meal, which was the confit pork belly, served with savoy cabbage and gratin dauphinois potatoes in a Calvados and thyme jus. Describing it to me as the most tender piece of pork he has ever tasted, the dish was just as superb as the Alpine one. Both mains highlighting how Côte Brasserie have made a menu to suit the needs of all.
Having been delighted by the mains, it was time to tuck into the deserts! Alexa went for the new Alpine option of the Pear and Frangipane Tart, made to share and costing £15.95 . The tart is a beautiful almond frangipane and pear creation, which is topped with melted white chocolate, blueberries and viola flowers, served with a blueberry compote and vanilla ice cream. Mixing winter with spring, the desert was a gorgeously refreshing creation that had the taste buds tingle from the first bite. Sharing it between the two, they could see how freshly prepared the dish was, as the ice cream and chocolate melted onto it to give it that little extra magic.
Having been enticed by the taste of the first desert, Dave went on to choose the chocolate fondant option too. Topped with a salted caramel sauce, he couldn’t fault it in anyway. As soon as the spoon broke into the spongy outer layer, the chocolate trickled down onto the plate, delivering a rich pool of chocolate goodness.
Overall, the pair described the meal as pure perfection. The Côte Brasserie is a place that both would highly recommend to others, with the ambience in the restaurant being described as calming and relaxing, attentive staff on hand to help every step of the way and food that is perfectly portioned, outstandingly tasty and in no way faulty.
It’s a place the pair described as being trendy, stylish and above all delicious. If you are heading to York, it’s really the place to go according to them! To find out more or to book a table, head to the Côte Brasserie website now lovelies! It sounds like your taste buds will be thanking you, as much as I am thanking the team at Côte Brasserie for being so incredible! We all honestly couldn’t praise them enough!
Joey X