Well our search continues: Chelsea’s for a decent run of form (beating Bolton at home is like giving the Angus Steak house a bad review) and the West Stands chaps for somewhere to have a pre-game meal and drink. “Frantoio” was a good option but the fact it is nowhere near the tube makes it tricky for when Carl brings his son. I thought that maybe the way forward was to go chain after all Bodeans is part of one. Therefore we booked the new Cote by Parsons Green. It fitted a number of criteria: near a tube station, near the best pub in West London (The White Horse), pretty straightforward walk to the ground from it. There were some fears it would prove pricey but I checked online and they had a number of well priced weekend specials. Booking was very easy online as well. So I set off Saturday with high hopes.
It has to be said on the whole we weren’t disappointed. The restaurant was packed out but our table was ready and waiting with the complementary filtered water, always a nice touch. We all went for the special so 2 steak and chips and 3 half chickens with beans and potato gratin, all priced at a tenner. Carls son went for beef bourgignon off the kids menu. We also ordered their version of garlic bread, beer and wine. Now the drinks and garlic bread came up quickly but the mains did take a while. However we were actually sat right by the passe so we could see how busy the kitchen was but everything coming out looked very nice. When our own food came it was good. My chicken was perfectly cooked, lovely and moist which a nice rich cream sauce, I liked my beans but maybe the gratin wasn’t top draw but overall impressive. The others enjoyed the steaks which though thin were tasty. The beef bourgignon was wolfed down so another satisfied punter. My only complaint was that as we were pressed for time it meant that the delay meant us having to bolt such nice food. Mind you have we booked in 30 minutes earlier I think lunch would have been a bit more convivial.
The bill came to £20 a head which was very reasonable in terms of the food but I did think £18 for a bottle of very indifferent Fitou was a bit cheeky. It does annoy me how restaurants overcharge customers on wine and chain restaurants despite their bigger purchase power are some of the worst with their mark ups. Service was good and we were kept topped up with the complimentary water. There was a good mix up of clientele in here, football fans, families having lunch and friends catching up. I much prefer this to the one in High St Ken which is very touristy. It’s not the most spacious inside, they have managed to pack a lot of tables into what was a very small pub “the Novello”. However it works well as a restaurant and I think the chaps would be happy to come back again.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7