You won’t have to look too hard to find a restaurant along Camden’s Parkway. For some reason, whether that’s the ethnic make up of the area or just culinary tastes peculiar to NW1, there are a large number of Japanese and Italian eateries along that stretch of road. But squashed some where between is a delightful French restaurant that doesn’t need dominance in numbers to make its presence felt. Cote Brasserie is the area’s best kept secret and takes the gourmet experience to new heights.
As soon as you enter you’ll immediately notice a gentle ambience and a timeless quality which not only sets one’s mind at ease after a busy morning at the office but also puts you in the ‘shut out’ zone much needed by the weary, over-worked brain. This sense of feeling welcome and comfortable is much more effortless compared to other establishments, perhaps suggesting that the combination of décor, staff and service has been worked on right down to the minutest detail until it’s something that’s ever-present.
The lunch time set menu is reasonably priced considering this is French cuisine which is usually both perfectly prepared and presented and (as a result) comparatively expensive. Two courses are priced at £10.95 with three at £12.95. The starter of Feuillette Provencal comes highly recommended. It is a delicately balanced mixture of ratatouille, goats cheese, black olives, capers and basil wrapped in puff pastry that melts in the mouth. A main course of Galette Complete will introduce you to the culinary treats of buckwheat galette with Bechamel and Gruyere cheese, topped with fried eggs. Salade verte and frites (French Fries) completes the order and that’s you all set for lunch!
If ranked among the restaurants visited by What’s Hot London in 2016 it would easily get a top three place, mainly because of the total package – from customer care right up to meals cooked to the point of perfection as if they expected royalty.
