Côte – A Taste of France in Kingston

Côte restaurant in Kingston has reopened after a major refurbishment creating an environment to bring people together to enjoy the delights of French cuisineweb__002__cote-brasserie-kingston

The restaurant was closed while the work was completed and re-opened last Monday (Nov 20) with a VIP champagne rendezvous to celebrate the new look.

The refurbishment was driven by Côte’s commitment continually to enhance shared experiences , and the redesign has created a space with warmth and elegance and also more comfort.

The revamped layout provides extra space around your table and more room to mingle. Côte also has new, warm lights, plants, mirrors, a new bar and a cheese counter filled with thirteen of France’s most famous fromages.

web__005__cote-brasserie-kingstonCôte is situated in Kingston-upon-Thames’ Riverside Walk and boasts panoramic views of the river and Kingston Bridge and is ideal all year round, whether dining in one of the best alfresco dining spots in Surrey (blankets are provided!), or seated inside.

Côte’s core belief is quality food, freshly prepared seasonal ingredients, served with respect and enjoyed in relaxed, stylish surroundings which has inspired the company since 2007. Now, with more than 80 Côte restaurants across the UK, the menu designed by Steve Allen, Gordon Ramsay’s former Executive Chef, has evolved to encompass the timeless French classics guests know and love, alongside new dishes that capture the excitement of contemporary French cuisine.

And there’s a special festive menu available now at this and all branches: A three course for 34.95 including duck rillettes, lobster mornay gratin with Comte cheese and turkey paupiette.

Christmas Menu at Hawthorn, Kew

From 16th November – 31st December, Hawthorn, in Station Parade, Kew, will offer an exclusive Christmas menu for lunch and dinner, with a refined, modern European touch, using the best predominantly British seasonal ingredients.  Less than a year after opening, Hawthorn has been included in the Michelin Guide and The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants and also, of course, reviewed by yours truly for RiverTribe – see link here.

Guests will receive some snacks of ‘Venison & red wine salami’ and ‘Crown Prince squash mousse and crackers’ to whet their appetite, before heading into the dazzling three-course menu. They can choose from a selection of sensational starters such as ‘Tartare of Wiltshire Fallow Deer with smoked yolks, Jerusalem artichokes, bitter leaves’ or ‘Foie gras and chicken liver parfait with apricot and Sauternes jelly, toasted brioche’, before moving on to the main event.

Hawthorn is taking a different route from the usual turkey main, putting the festive focus on the components that make up the best part of a Christmas roast – the sides. These include dishes like ‘Iberico pork chop & rolled confit belly with crispy sprouts, chestnut and sage pig in blankets and a black pudding potato galette’, a ‘Roasted shallot and endive tarte tatin with Wigmore cheese fondue, hazelnut and clementine dressing, Castelfranco and winter truffle’, and ‘Fillet of aged beef rib, stuffed mushroom, Périgord truffle creamed potato, swede and carrot, spinach, red wine sauce’.

For dessert, guests can expect familiar classics such as ‘Christmas pudding, brandy foam, Guinness ice cream and pain d’epices’, and other sweet treats including ‘Cured pineapple and mango yoghurt with vanilla beignets’ and ‘Valrhona 70% chocolate soufflé with orange curd and pistachio ice cream’.

The festive menus are priced at £55pp for three courses for lunch or £75pp for dinner, and will be served for lunch Thursday – Saturday 12:00 – 14:15, Sundays 12:00 – 15:00. Dinner will be available Thursday – Friday 17:45 – 20:30, Saturday 17:45 – 21:15. The restaurant will be closed from 25th – 27thDecember inclusive.