Scran and Tell – Cǒte Brasserie, Edinburgh

Monday August 14th

Côte Brasserie, Edinburgh: Perfectly competent, if not quite a cause for celebration

I generally approach chains with the enthusiasm of someone peeling back the foil on an economy class dinner: expectations are modest, and experience suggests they’re usually right to be.

That said, Côte on a quiet Monday after the festival made a decent case for itself. The breakfast crowd was clearing out, leaving the room pleasantly calm.  We were directed to a rather nice space at the back that feels considerably more inviting than the front. Sunlight spilled through the glass roof, creating some welcome autumn warmth.  Our waitress was attentive without hovering, which is increasingly a skill worth noting.

My friend opted for the Steak Frites.  When done well, this dish can be a standout.  But that wasn’t the case here.  The steak was cooked to a decent medium-rare but lacked any real sear or seasoning, leaving it looking a bit grey and uninspiring. The fries were a mixed bag – crisp on top, but turning soggy and lukewarm at the bottom of the serving dish. basket. 

I had the Tuna Niçoise, which was solid enough: fresh, straightforward and competently assembled. It was somewhat under-dressed, but more arrived promptly when requested. There was no egg, although I only noticed this after eating it, which perhaps says more about my powers of observation than the kitchen’s.

And that rather sums up Côte. The food was good, the service was good, the room was pleasant – everything worked. Nothing, however, quite made you sit up and think, this is why we came here.

So: a perfectly respectable lunch, good value for money and a reliable option when you want somewhere comfortable and unchallenging. But for a birthday, anniversary or any occasion requiring some gastronomic fireworks, I’d look elsewhere. Côte is unlikely to ruin the celebration; it’s just unlikely to become part of the story.