Embrace long summery evenings with a wander around Covent Garden’s Opera Quarter, before you know it you’ll arrive in Paris.

The Venue
This branch of Cote is situated in the heart of the recently revived Opera Quarter which lies due east of Covent Garden. With new restaurants popping up all over the show Cote already seems to have the revered acclaim of an old standard. Cote has a very similar laid back atmosphere and an equally stylish interior. Outside with its grey striped awning and dark ash decor, it’s quite the looker. Inside is where the Parisian bistro look really comes into place. A monochromatic theme continues throughout the dining room, from the fancily decorated floor tiles to the brasserie style wooden trappings and easy style flowing through the entire restaurant. On summery afternoons light floods the room through gigantic open windows, giving the place a delightful European feel.

The Atmosphere
Cote is quite the popular haunt at anytime of the day or night. Its airy, open door nature makes it the perfect place for a light lunch on a sunny day or an early supper before catching a nearby show. The clientele varies throughout the day from lunching ladies to informal business meetings. As the afternoon turns to evening, the theatre crowd rocks up for the good value pre-theatre menus. The staff are not necessarily French, but the standard of service is quick and efficient and just friendly enough.

The Food
The menu here at Côte is exactly what you would expect from the Parisian-style bistro it styles itself on. The menu is pretty succinct but still represents all areas of France. For nibbles try the pissaladiere (£3.85), a warm flatbread from Nice topped with caramelised onions, Reblochon cheese and fresh thyme, which will sate you long enough to peruse the menu. There are some really nice starters on the menu including a fabulous mint, pea and courgette soup (£4.25). It arrives as green and vibrant as a new 2CV, although it must have come the long way round from the kitchen as it could have been a bit hotter. The fresh clean flavours of the green vegetables are given extra bite with a handful of toasted pine nuts. Other starters include moules marinieres (£5.65) a regular bowl of fresh mussels, all orange and pulpy and steaming with that winey whiff of the sea.

For main course, there are your usual suspects. Steaks, surprisingly only three cuts on offer but all are aged on the bone and offered with a selection of sauces including bearnaise sauce and Roquefort butter. The lunch pre-fixe menu offers a more minute version of steak frites which is very thin, but tastily charred and dripping in garlic butter. There are more substantial offerings available including the cassoulet de Toulouse (£12.95) a robust meaty stew with duck confit, Toulouse bangers and haricot beans. There is also the famous Les Landes chicken, a free range bird served char-grilled with fries (£9.90).

For a lighter lunch try the tuna Nicoise salad. Served in what looks like a large Pyrex bowl, it’s brimming with juicy ripe tomatoes, firm new potatoes, crunchy French beans and topped with flaked chunks of fresh tuna. For dessert you can’t go far wrong with a typically French creme brulee (£4.90) or even a more Anglo-influenced squidgy chocolate fondant (£5.15).

The Drink
The drinks menu here at Cote covers all eventualities. Take an early afternoon Pastis from that authentic Parisian touch, to a chilled Kronenbourg=. If it’s still too early, a small selection of fresh juices are on offer and the quintessential French pop, Orangina, evoking memories of camping holidays on the Cote D’Azur. Of course, being a bistro it’s all about the wine. The list is patriotically entirely French with the house white, an apple-y Lagarde Blanc, offering good value at £13.95 a bottle. For more expensive tastes try the Chateau Neuf du Pape for around £37 a pop or even a nice light Fleurie for a tenner less.

The Last Word
Cote offers reasonably priced, good quality French food in a stylish setting – quite refreshing in an area where dining out can often be a bit hit or miss.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (5) image gallery (1)