I’ve not been to the Corn Exchange for a long time so it was great to be invited to Cosy Club to try their new menu launched in May. Having always had a positive experience at the quirky restaurant in the past thanks to the friendly, attentive staff, it was so nice to return this time with Thomas and the husband.
Cosy Club is all about serving ‘up a sense of being somewhere special with a hint of nostalgia. Our purpose is simple: every customer leaves feeling splendid.’ This is reflecting in the charismatic but cosy decor and menu, which focuses on comfort food classics like sandwiches, tapas and brunch options but with a sophisticated twist. It’s also good to hear that the menu changes once every 3-4 months to match with the seasons – I’m all about celebrating what wonderful ingredients nature has to offer and seeing how chefs in a restaurant use these to show off their creativity! Some of the new dishes include things like Shakshuka, Thai Green Curry, Superfood Bowl and Spatchcock Gammon, while desserts include Salted Caramel Cheesecake and Nutella Donut (OMG).
From a dietary requirement point of view, as I’ve mentioned before I’m a huge fan of the specifically gluten-free and vegan menu which is extensive and exciting; it’s nice to see that effort has been made to accommodate these ways of eating rather than just offer a couple of unimaginative options.
I couldn’t wait to tuck into the Feta, Heirloom Tomato & Watercress Pesto on gluten free toast with fresh basil and balsamic glaze from the Tapas options as a starter, which arrived looking fresh, crisp and colourful. Chunky, juicy tomatoes, generous chunks of feta and a delicious pesto was a delightful combination and I was pleased that the gluten-free bread didn’t taste like cardboard for once (at some places this has been a disappointment!).
James can’t resist a Scotch Egg so obviously ordered one, a soft boiled egg wrapped in black pudding with mixed leaves and tomato chutney. Despite being a little overdone on the outside, it was a decent size, packed full of flavour and worked wonderfully with a sharp, tangy chutney to compliment the soft, mild flavour of the egg.
For Thomas we chose the Sausage, Chips and Beans from the kid’s menu which he absolutely devoured in about 10 minutes flat – a nice little treat even if he did cause a total mess on the floor! The staff were a great help, bringing him extra plastic cutlery and even once he’d finished and was getting a bit fidgety, gave him some Lego to play with which was a winner!
I could have ordered about 10 different things for my main meal, including the Courgette, Feta & Mint Risotto, Thai Green Vegetable Curry or Superfood Bowl, but it was the Aubergine Tagine that won: ‘Smoked aubergine, slow-cooked with spiced tomato and onion served with coconut & coriander rice, edamame beans, black quinoa and turmeric cauliflower rice, topped with tzatziki’. How unusual and interesting does that sound for a gluten-free veggie dish?! And let me tell you, it was incredible, one of the tastiest plant-based meals I’ve had, especially when eating out. Bursting with flavour and spices, the tzatziki was the perfect accompaniment to balance everything out, and as a whole was very filling, satisfying and enjoyable. I’ll definitely be having this again!
On the other side of the food spectrum, the Major-General Burger was James’ choice, a hefty list consisting of a ‘100% pure beef 6oz patty topped with a macaroni cheese fritter, smoked streaky bacon, melted cheese, balsamic onions, rocket, tomato, gherkin and burger sauce.’ WOW. As with any burger stacked up with various elements, it was a little tricky to eat but everything worked well together, especially the addition of the macaroni cheese fritter which was a gamechanger! Usually one to have a good appetite, even James struggled to finish it all which says a lot!
I hate to say it considering the desserts sounded insane but James and I were too full to indulge in anything else, although Tom happily wolfed down pretty much a whole Fruit Sundae with berry sauce and banana – again from the kid’s menu. It was so nice to see him enjoy a full meal in a stylish but comfortable environment with us as a little family, and I want to express again how the staff made it feel that way. Obviously wanting to stretch his legs after, Tom had so much fun ‘walking’ around and getting lots of attention which may have helped him sleep well that night!
Thank you so much again to Cosy Club for inviting us down – make sure you follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 🙂