Cote Brasserie is situated on Islington Green. On entering, the dining area looks quite big and the furniture is dark wooden. There are booths with cushioned seating. There is a private dining area at the back of the restaurant which is separated by a curtain.
Being seated in this back section, the service was a little slow. Quite a few times throughout the evening, we had to go get the staff so that we could order food and drinks. Saying that though, the staff were friendly and polite.
Baskets of sourdough bread were given to start with. These warm slices of bread were delicious with lashings of butter.
With choices such as roast chicken, baked crepes, salads and fish stews on the Cote Brasserie menu, it was hard to decide what to choose. The Pan Roasted Hake Supreme sounded like a complete meal as it came with a side of potatoes. The hake was lovely and moist with a crispy skin. It had been braised with savoy cabbage and was in a dill and mushroom sauce with peas. Dill is not a favourite herb but in this creamy sauce it worked well as it was not overpowering. There was a good balance of flavours.
The side dish of Pommes Rissolees and Bacon Lardons was a good portion. These cubed crispy potatoes with lots of bacon pieces made the main hake dish a satisfying meal.
For dessert, the Tarte Fin Aux Pommes felt like a proper dessert. There was the contrast of textures between the crispy puff pastry, baked apples slices and the soft ice cream. The pastry had the right amount of sweetness and the apples were cooked with a slight bite to them. The apple tart was given with vanilla and strawberry ice cream together with fresh apple slices and grapes. The dessert was absolutely wonderful and a great way to end the meal.
Cote Brasserie provided us with delicious food and it was all presented well. It showed that they had given thought to the flavour combination of the dishes.
Cote Brasserie, 4-6 Islington Green, London, N1 2XA
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