THE CÔTE BRASSERIE WAS SOLD to the Karali Group in late 2025. Experiencing what’s become of this 2007, Wimbledon born chain toady, asks more questions that it gives answers.
Dropping the “Brasserie”, this French-style; British restaurant chain, is now simply known as Côte. Founded by Richard Caring et al, certainly entertains change these days. That being said, a mixed experience in Ealing, wasn’t expected.
French faire; Parisienne brasserie style food is disappearing everywhere but Central London. Changes in menu, come as anosurprise at Côte: the Karali Group also operate franchises for Burger King; Taco Bell, Murugame Udon. Surprises are such, as I find in this Côte Brasserie review in Ealing.
Côte Brasserie Review
I’ve nothing against a good, solid chain restaurant. Consistency is to be graciously acknowledged as there is nothing simple about it.
I hadn’t sat in to dine at a Côte in a long time. There were no dishes of note that blew me away and there were always better options right next door (here in Ealing, being no exception). They had a busy summer on Sloane Square which hid the view of the roundabout it was on. I had a short but pleasant catch up over cheese and wine there, ordered by a QR code, about two years ago or so. Nothing memorable. In fact I always preferred Café Rouge, particularly the branch on High Street Kensington.
French Restaurant Menus in London
Nothing on menu excites me. Having perused it previously, I wait in hope for a good meal, nonetheless. Missing are typical French bistro starter classics of escargots; snails, oysters, frog legs, foie gras, radish and butter, globe artichoke, eggs.. Where were the eggs, the leeks, asparagus?
Oeufs mayonnaise, coccotte meurette, poireaux vinaigtrette etc? That those aren’t their forte or suit the target audience palette, (bearing in mind the new take-over) does’t dampen my mood or impressions of what’s to come.
If they survived as a chain with such strength in numbers, somethings has to be bringing the masses back in, surely?
The Food at Côte Brasserie In Ealing
We take our seats cozy interiors, of which I fawn over tiled floors, with nostalgia. My fellow diner notes they’re scuffed.
Our first plates arrive about 30 mins after ordering. Excited I am; to see Ricard and Pernod on the menu. They’ll both become a thing of the past, at the rate we order Pastis in London. Please keep ordering them. Our first (yes, first) server has a jolly demeanour about her. She informs me she’ll check the cellar to find out about the Pastis situation.
French onion soup. Rich, sweet onions with little to no bite, sits calmly until a whirlpool broth-bath seamlessly appear when gently turning a spoon into it. Marrying the melty cheese with gentle broth of wisps of wine and beef is, bog standrad.
A bit of bite from bread – a slice of sourdough torn into three, in this case, then back to spoon dunking. Repeat. Enjoy some textures.
It’s almost outrageous to think a bunch of onions, wine, good stock and gruyère (or in this case Comté cheese) with a bit of bread chucked in can give you a life-changing moment. It is both a fortunate and unfortunate fact that it can.
The best French Onion Soup may be in your London kitchen
The French onion soup at Côte Brasserie isn’t that. The bowl is warm. Its contents remain so throughout. Possibly as it arrives to the diner in a mug-sized portion.
The emulsion of broth and cheese falls flat. What lends French onion soup that divine silky mouth feel; binds the sweet, savoury, rich flavours in the mouth, was there. Only in the last spoonful or two at the end of the bowl.
Côte’s French onion soup leans towards burnt Bisto gravy, with charred onion. It’s bitter. Comté here didn’t stand a chance. Especially as most of it’s glued to the one piece of floating sourdough torn into three. At £9, I’ve had better, bigger and cheaper not only in Ealing but also Central London. In people’s homes.
Beefy, gravy-like broth is fine if not bitter. Onions with a bite are barely forgivable in this dish. Sourdough is just London, really. My style of a thinner onion soup; cheeses they use for fondue, dash of alcohol, the right bread, isn’t for everyone.
Navigating a French brasserie menu in London
Warm beetroot salad: the surprise of the meal. Moreish, plated to invite mopping up all the sauce atop the beets. Finely sliced green apple with toasted almond flakes; which I’m not normally fond of. I’ve a preference for single-ingredient salads. However, it’s executed beautifully here. For the same price as the soup, it doesn’t leave a bitter taste. Neither are inexpensive for a chain restaurant starter.
Chicken – I can do better. I don’t mean this to be rude; rotisserie chicken in France is a street food, done to perfection. Smoked chicken is sold in supermarkets in France. A lot of respect for the chicken shows in French cooking. Nonw was shown here.
Fries are a let down. Which is a shame because I love a deep fried thinly cut potato. So much so that I the promise of free-flowing fries has me weeping for joy. My joy is stolen. They aren’t crispy or fluffy or even warm. Why would I want anything free flowing like that?
Sautéed scallops with black pudding, apple and cabernet sauvignon dressing worked well. The sweetness of the small scallops and the delectable bite of those that have not sat in a frying pan for long stood strong on their own. The thinly shaved green apple and unctuous blood sausage married well on the plate as individual bites, as well as on a whole with the scallops.
Côte Brasserie Ealing: a restaurant review
Date of visit: 1st January 2026
Factually, the roasted beetroot dish, an afterthought order, was the most memorable, If this doesn’t speak volumes, I don’t know what does.
I’m not sure why Café Rouge more or less departed London. Buying Côte Brasserie is a good investment. A prime real estate investment. Restaurants are a tricky business, no doubt and Côte is no shy player in this game to rinse it out till its last breath-on-a-story. On Sloane Square they reside neighbourly to Colbert. It’s probably why I’ve never had the urge to pop in and try new menu items, like the tartiflette. Apparently that’s coming and going every day, according to my emails. I’d rather stick to spending more when I can; order from a menu that speaks to me in French. It’s seasonal too, so you get to try new things!
Regarding the Pastis situation, it was a forth server who informed me that she could find me a Pernod.
Food – 5.7/10
Value for money 5.8/10
Vibes and service – 6.9/10
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