www.cambridge-news.co.uk
Saturday, December 15, 2012
27
food & drink
A taste of Paris Just to be clear, this isn’t a complaint: who wouldn’t enjoy sweet and sour chicken with a side of Louis Smith flexing his dance skills? And, if I’m honest, I normally fall asleep before Gary Lineker starts chatting on anyway; it’s win-win. However, I agree, it’s not the height of sophistication. So, a trip to Côte Brasserie for candle light and bistro-style French cooking felt rather grown-up and more than a little enchanting. Plus, for the price of a drizzly cycle ride across Jesus Green in the dark, it’s the closest you could possibly get to an evening in Paris without hopping on the Eurostar. We were lucky enough to be seated on a sumptuous banquette with a view out on to rain-drenched Bridge Street. It felt a bit like being in the huge restaurant corner window of an Edward Hopper painting, although I doubt his subjects were witness to so many university students streaming past, all wearing fancy dress animal onesies. Softly lit by glowing, orb-like lamps and candles, Côte has a cosy, intimate atmosphere with a lovely buzz to it. The tables are just close enough for you to sneak a peek at what everyone else is eating too (steak and butterfly chicken are clear allround favourites). Behaving very un-French, we ordered fizzy drinks, not wine, but I figure the sign of a good restaurant is whether they bring
eating out M
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Y usual brand of Saturday night romance amounts to takeaway Chinese and Strictly Come Dancing (for me) followed by Match of the Day (for my boyfriend, Sam).
ELLA WALKER swaps a takeaway in front of the TV for sophistication you a carafe of water without you even needing to ask, and Côte Brasserie does. This is definitely something you appreciate when you’re more used to the bottomless, help yourself drinks at Nando’s. To start Sam went for the pissaladière (£3.95): a warm flatbread covered in caramelised onions, reblochon cheese and thyme. When it arrived it looked like a mini, but ever-so fancy, pizza and tasted brilliantly moreish. I opted for the mushroom feuilleté (£4.95) – no, I couldn’t pronounce it – which comprised two wedges of lightas-air puff pastry, topped with a creamy wild mushroom sauce and a tangle of watercress. It was delicious, although I fear I struggled to devour it daintily; watercress is impossible to eat with any panache. In no time at all our mains appeared. My rump of lamb (£13.50) was perfectly pink in the middle when sliced into and sat regally on a bed of sweet roasted courgettes, carrots, red onion and new potatoes with crispy edges. The veg was cooked to perfection, the courgettes especially, and the meat was meltingly tender. It was also doused in a veal jus but I could have done with a bit more sauce, there wasn’t quite enough for the lamb to properly soak up. There were no complaints at all, though, with Sam’s steak (£18.45). Deciding he had to go all out, he ordered the sirloin with a peppercorn sauce, a spray
taste test , 21-24 Bridge Côte Brasserie e, CB2 1UF idg Street, Cambr 311053 Tel: (01223) s: Monday to Opening hour m; Saturday 1p -1 m Friday 8a nday 9am9am-11pm; Su pm .30 10 Food: **** Service: **** *** ** Atmosphere: Value: **** ding for two (inclu Cost: A meal ce charge) rvi se drinks and 4. came to £62.9 ss: Yes. Disabled acce
ENCHANTING: The scene for bistro-style French cooking at Côte Brasserie
of watercress and salty French fries (which I happily helped myself to). It was faultless, and every last smidgeon of sauce got mopped up. Despite the lashings of cheese and cream on our starters, and the meatiness of our mains, every morsel felt and tasted surprisingly healthy and light – which meant there was no saying no to dessert. Sam dithered over his favourite pudding staple, apple tart, but eventually went for house speciality, crème brulee (£5.25). It came with a brittle caramelised crust and silky smooth vanilla custard underneath, while I predictably went for the chocolatiest thing on the menu: chocolate fondant (also £5.25). Shamefully it almost defeated me – almost. The bar for date night has definitely been raised.
Wine Match with Mark Anstead Every week the founder of Cambridgeshire Wine School seeks out the best wines to accompany Living’s recipes. Try saying the phrase ‘Cheese and Wine’ without imagining a glass of red. Tough isn’t it? But the truth is red wine clashes with a great many cheeses, so if you are setting up a cheese board with a few options on it you are in fact safer drinking a white. Certain wines go well with particular cheeses, but there are no
hard and fast rules. Much depends on the wine and the strength of the cheese (so it’s really an adventure of discovery). Blue cheese is brilliant with a sweet dessert wine and goat’s cheese is a revelation with Sauvignon Blanc (even if you don’t normally like goat’s cheese). You might try sparkling wine with Brie and Camembert and an oaky Chardonnay with smoked cheese. Savoury red Bordeaux can sometimes cope well with Cheddar (if not, try beer) and Barolo usually rises to Parmesan and Gorgonzola.
Riesling can be good with Edam and Fino Sherry with Manchego. The list goes on, but you want to know which bottle to open with your Christmas cheese board, don’t you? Gewurztraminer from Alsace is a particularly versatile wine with cheese and Majestic sell a nice one: Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewürztraminer 2011. Normally £14.99, it’s reduced to £11.99 if you buy two – great stuff. G Our Wine Tasting Gift Vouchers will reach you in time for Christmas Day even if you order on the 24th: www.Cambridgeshire WineSchool.com.
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