Cote St Pauls

I recently had the pleasure of organising a friends birthday party at this city venue. This themed event required seating and catering for 25 very fussy guest, some with food allergies and a few  fellow foodies who have high expectations. 

Unlike other chains, Cote prides itself on serving high quality food that's reasonably priced. 

Having had a great selection of food, we were further spoilt for choice when it came to choosing our drinks, from its sparkling wines to the great champagnes and wines on offer. 

"Avoid the house stuff and you won't go wrong"

Every menu choice was consistent in presentation, quality of produce and taste I am reliably informed. My seabass was perfectly cooked, the salmon starter fresh with just the right amount of dill to bring out its subtle flavour.  

Each dessert held its own, from a decadent chocolate mousse, creamy creme brûlée to the humble berries with cream, every palate was pleasured.

The private room and great service offered to us was amazing. Friendly staff led by the amazing events manager Frankie Skelt . This amazing team ensured everything ran like clock work. Faultless, enthusiastic service.

If you looking for a great venue that's reasonably priced without compromising on quality, gives these guys a shout. 

http://www.cote-events.co.uk/

tel: 02072364388

events@cote-restaurants.co.uk

Sheraton Park Lane Hotel London

Expecting to be treated to a fine dining experience associated with a  5 star hotel, we were in for a very uncomfortable surprise. 

The Palm court restaurant is currently being renovated so you are forced to eat dinner in the lounge. This would not have been a problem had we been forewarned or had there been proper chairs and a dining table. 

All 9 of us hobbled around a coffee table waiting in anticipation of our respective orders. A good 1hr45 minutes later the dishes start to arrive, mains followed by the side salads and finally the sweet potato fries. 

The braised lamb shoulder turned out to be a stew which left 8 of us looking at each other in shock, whilst disappointing, it tasted ok. 

The chicken salad was underwhelming, it lacked any seasoning or dressing.

The quinoa salad whilst nicely presented failed to hit the spot, It was flavourless and remained half uneaten.  

For dessert we opted to go elsewhere as we couldn't bear the thought of waiting another hour or having yet another underwhelming experience. 

The only decent thing was the wine, whilst a bit on the expensive side it numbed the pain. 

Service was slow and unenthusiastic. Will I be going back not at this point, maybe after the relaunch if these minor details are addressed.