It had been a long day’s guiding, beginning at 9 a.m. in The Ned and finishing up at Cabinet War Rooms (still finding it hard to say Churchill War Rooms) via the Tower, Borough Market and Westminster Abbey. The client and I had packed into a day what most people might manage in a summer and as a consequence I was powerfully hungrythirsty.

Alas, Gazette was shut so I was left in a quandary. We didn’t have the time before the Prom for a full on sit down experience yet I wanted more than a bag of crisps and a lager. I plumped for Cocotte as being the nearest and looking likely to do hurry.

Good choice – they have burgers and things (well, chicken is their speciality so they do big of that too) but also small plates that you can mix and match. A Peroni slaked the thirst while the rain tipped down outside (2024 – the weirdest weather summer I’ve ever known) and on my wife’s arrival we ordered.

Green salad had a hefty chunk of avocado in it (approbation from the other side of the table) while warm baguette was just that. Slightly average baguette is what I’d say for this neck of the woods. Merguez was better, as were some yummy chicken fritters that smelt more truffle than they tasted (no bad thing). A glass of something white and wet along with that did the job. Service was attentive and a smattering of people in the room was outnumbered by the amount of action they were getting off Deliveroo so if I went back I’d give their chicken a go as it’s obviously popular.

Then off to the Prom – Kozhukin doing a pretty good rendition of the Ravel PC with a wonderful Tchaikovsky encore. Cocotte did the job but isn’t a must return.

6/10

To see where else I’ve been click on the google map below.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=18qCyiPZih_gzhGG8mwfacnNRWD3b0bo&ehbc=2E312F

Food London Food Guiding Proms restaurants South Kensington