Nestled along Reading’s riverside amongst the many steakhouses and burger joints is Côte Brasserie. A French-inspired restaurant with a large varied menu and extensive wine list.

First impressions are good, the large space inside is littered with tables and the room as a whole carries a good atmosphere. There are also a good number of intimate two-person tables scattered around the outside of the room, giving excellent opportunities for couples on a night out. The large menu is detailed and well rounded – we opted for a steak tartare (£6.75) and prawn gratinee (£7.75) to start and were surprised by how quickly the food arrived. The tartare was excellent, superb texture and, accompanied by two pieces of toasted bread, was more than ample size. The prawn gratinee was also good, with a well-chosen sauce and generous serving of king prawns.

For the main course we chose pan-roasted pork belly (£12.95) and the Breton chicken (£9.95). The former was well presented and perfectly cooked, the potato, creme fraiche and chive purée complemented the pork belly well for both texture and taste. The Breton chicken can sometimes be over-complicated on occasion but not this time. The chicken was well-cooked without being dry and the garlic butter blended well with it’s succulent flavours. We were again caught out by how quickly the food arrived.

As for dessert, we felt it necessary for at least one of us to try the creme brûlée, which is a signature Côte dish, helping the restaurant to win ‘Reading Restaurant of the Year 2013’. It turned out to be a good decision. At £5.25 it reflects excellent value for money and was an excellent way to end the meal, accompanied by a small cappuccino.

If you’re looking for a quality night out in a restaurant with an excellent menu and refreshingly classic interior look no further than Côte Reading at the Oracle Riverside.

CLARE BAILEY