The Tab Visit…Côte

Tucked away on Cathedral Green, Côte Brasserie is a little corner of Paris right here in Exeter. It arrived last year without much ceremony, and this week, The Tab went down to check it out.

We were greeted at the door by the lovely manager, Jorik, and whisked to a table right by the window. Top notch service, right there.

Inside, things get tres Parisien and a little bit Great Gatsby with lots of mirrors and monochrome. Côte may look small and unassuming from the outside, but upstairs is deceptively large and there is a relaxed-yet-sophisticated atmosphere that’s a far cry from your average student lunch spot.

Decor duly admired, we turned our attention to the menu. During the day and early evening Côte run a set menu, and at £9.95 for two courses and £12.95 for three, it’s a great student option. If you’ve got your parents with you or a student loan to spend, the full menu is extensive to say the least and features a number of French favourites: moules marinières, anybody?

As it was so miserable outside and we were feeling a tad extravagant, we decided it was only right to treat ourselves to three courses from the full menu. To start, we ordered the Charcuterie Board, which was essentially lots of delicious cured meat and paté, and the Prawn Gratinée.

Between courses we chatted to our waitress and to Jorek who were both extremely friendly: no student prejudices here! The food didn’t take long. We’d ordered the sea bass and the Cassoulet de Toulouse, and they were both very impressive, even if the cassoulet looked almost identical to our earlier starter.

By this point we were suitably full, but it would be rude not to indulge in dessert. Impressing even the manager with our appetites, we really got our French on and ordered the Praline Crepe and the Tarte Fine aux Pommes. Don’t tell us you’ve ever seen anything more tempting.

Côte may look a bit more upmarket than most of Exeter’s high street offerings, but that’s no reason for students to stay away. It’s a great little chain, reasonably priced, and perfect for a first date, special celebration, or everyone’s favourite event: dinner with the parents.

9/10