[Ad- gifted experience] Dann and I have actually previously been to Cote, as it’s a French chain restaurant, that always has seasonal specials that rotate. Last time we went to one in another nearby town, Dann had one of the specials, which he very much liked. I had the beef Bourgoin, which I was inspired to make at home for our family. This time, however, we were going to the one in Welwyn Garden City, though it’s very much the same vibe as the one we’ve gone to before.
French Onion Soup and Potted Crab
First, they brought over some bread and butter before we had even ordered drinks! The bread was still warm, the butter was slightly cold but spreadable, and it was nice to have something right when we got there. I ordered the French Onion Soup as a starter and Dann ordered Potted Crab at Cote. The French onion soup had a nice layer of bread and cheese on top, with lots of rich, caramelised onion – it was very decadent and delicious. Dann’s potted crab came with seeded bread, which was lightly toasted. There were tons of crab in this little pot, with lobster butter too. It did taste very much of crab, with a great texture – chopped, not blended – which Dann said was extremely good.
Grilled Sea Bream and Confit Pork Belly
For Dann’s main at Cote, he went with the Grilled Sea Bream, which is a good-sized cut of fish, with roasted baby tomatoes, tomato butter, roasted baby potatoes and an olive salsa vierge. He was really feeling quite fishy, so very much enjoyed the double fish. he found the olive salsa vierge to be so interesting – he wished there was more! The potatoes were perfectly cooked and seasoned, the butter on the crispy skin was fantastic. I had the Confit Pork Belly, which absolutely melted in my mouth! It came on a bed of cabbage, with roasted raisins in it and a light sauce. I do wish the cabbage was cooked a bit more for me. On the side, there was a portion of potato gratin, which was SO delicious. I absolutely love creamy potatoes.
Pistachio Crème Brûlée and Tarte au Citron
For desserts, I got the Pistachio Creme Brulee – everything seems to have Pistachio these days, though there was one without it! The pistachio creme brulee at Cote was fantastic – nice and creamy in the centre, perfect amount of caramel on the top which was fun to crack, and the pistachio crumble was subtle but an amazing texture and size for the dish. Dann opted for the Tarte au Citron, which was a lemon tart with raspberries. The pastry was cooked very well, the tart lemon was delicious, and I very much enjoyed trying his dessert!
Dann and I also got a drink at Cote, though I cannot remember quite what his was. Mine was a passionfruit drink, which was fruity and delicious. He liked his very much, which was sharp and a bit spicy! The staff at Cote were very professional and kind, checking up often, and the place felt fancy, if you know what I mean. We had a fantastic time.