Restaurant Review: Cote Brasserie - Manchester

Earlier this week I was very kindly invited to visit my local Cote Brasserie restaurant in Manchester with guests for a complimentary meal and drinks which was in equal parts an exciting but also an anxiety inducing offer. I'm lucky enough to receive a fair amount of lovely event invites and review experiences but I end up turning down the vast majority of emails as my anxiety prevents me from accepting.

However, I didn't want to turn down this offer as it would be a fantastic opportunity to treat my friends but also because my parents love Cote Brasserie and visited a few days before I did to celebrate their wedding anniversary. I'm so glad that I visited the restaurant and I'm grateful for the lovely invite as we had a fantastic evening and meal!

Cote Brasserie is a French restaurant chain with restaurant locations around the UK from Bristol, Bath and Brighton to Windsor, Wimbledon and Worcester. There are a variety of menus to choose from including the pre-theatre, breakfast, gluten free and children's menu to the prestige set menu and vegan/vegetarian menu. I naturally chose the vegetarian and vegan menu (as they have recently expanded their vegetarian and vegan range) but they had such a great variety of options on all of their menus so you're bound to find something you'll love.

Upon arriving we were greeted by the lovely staff at the Manchester restaurant and were seated. The decor within the restaurant is luxe but also very cosy and inviting which creates such a relaxing atmosphere. I never usually visit any restaurants as I can feel a little uncomfortable so it was a refreshing and very welcome change to the usual tense and slightly awkward feeling I typically experience.

I was given the option for the vegetarian and vegan menu which included quite a few main courses that I could choose from but I had to choose the Wild Mushroom and Walnut Parmentier (doesn't it sound delicious) as well as the Lemon Sorbet, both of which are vegan. I never choose a starter, wherever I go but my friends chose the fougasse, prawn gratinee and chicken liver parfait, all of which they loved (the fougasse looked absolutely delicious and I wish there was a vegan option available).

Being vegan, or vegetarian, can be a little tricky when it comes to eating in restaurants or even takeaways as there are usually sides and other options that seem vegan but they aren't labelled as such but thankfully on the Cote Brasserie menu, all of the vegan options are labelled as vegan including the frites and salads etc.

 
The vegan mushroom and walnut parmentier was so delicious and very moreish! It is almost a vegan version of a cottage pie, of sorts, so it is naturally very comforting and filling. French cuisine isn't something I'm very familiar with, especially since I became mostly vegan a few years ago but I wish it was a style of cooking I'd explored sooner as I don't think many French recipes are naturally vegan without making any changes. I would love to try and recreate this vegan parmentier sometime in the future as I think it would make a great main for family dinners.

My friends all chose from the a la carte menu and opted for the steaks which were all served with the most adorable cup of fries! Everyone loved their starter and main course and they were all served by friendly and attentive staff who were kind enough to explain the options, offer bread for the table and always be on hand for questions or ask if we needed anything.

Finally for dessert, I chose the lemon sorbet which is a sweet treat I've had on holiday in the Mediterranean so it always brings back summer holiday memories. There was a lemon or raspberry option and it was tempting to chose both but I'm glad I chose lemon as it was delicious and far creamier and flavourful than I remember the Mediterranean offerings being. My friend chose the praline crepes which looked incredible and the chocolate fondant that was the most indulgent chocolaty treat!

We all had such a lovely evening filled with lots of laughter and delicious food which is something we all needed so I'm very grateful for the review opportunity! Everything was perfect, from the food and presentation to the welcoming staff, decor and the calm, cosy atmosphere. As I've said, I don't typically enjoy going to restaurants on the whole but I would highly recommend Cote Brasserie and I would love to visit again (particularly as I loved their vegan options), which is something I didn't think I'd say about any restaurant.

Have you been to Cote Brasserie? What do you think of their menu? 

*gifted