A top-rated restaurant has opened its latest eatery in a town centre.

Frédéric Bistro has welcomed customers to its latest a la carte venture in the former Côte Brasserie in Earl Street, Maidstone.

Maison Frederic has soft-launched, with foodies only able to dine in at the weekends as of now but is hoping to extend its operating times by early March.

It will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm until then.

Owner Ulric Allsebrook said: “This allows us to slowly find our feet and slowly work on the menu which aspires to be classically modern.”

Starters begin at £10, main dishes at £20, and desserts at £8.

The menu, which is “classically English”, but using traditional French techniques, features “elevated” dishes including monkfish ceviche, a chateaubriand to share, profiteroles filled with chantilly cream and more.

Users have already flocked to Facebook to rave about the new restaurant.

One said: “We ate there on Saturday, it was magical – would return again and again.”

Another added: “Can thoroughly recommend, we had a wonderful evening.”

KentOnline first reported how Frederic’s Bistro would be expanding into a unit in Earl Street in December.

The listed building, next to home entertainment store Richer Sounds and hearing aid shop Amplifon, has been vacant since 2020 when fellow French restaurant Côte closed during lockdown.

The latest business adds to Ulric’s portfolio in the town centre where he has a small cafe/restaurant, and adjoining cheese and wine shop in Market Buildings near the Royal Star Arcade Shopping Centre.

The existing restaurant is one of the town centre’s most highly rated, with a score of 4.5/5 on review site TripAdvisor.

Launched in 2012, its listing on the site described it as a “small independent cafe-bistro serving provincial French ‘peasant food’."

Its menu features classics from pastries to croque monsieurs and beef bourguignon.

The neighbouring Fred’s Wine Cellar offers a wide range of bottles from various regions in France, as well as worldwide.