Coco Asian Bistro

Coco has a hip vibe and primarily Asian menu with a Thai bent, requisite sushi and bistro-style dishes like rack of lamb and steak.


What we had:

My DH and I split appetizers and our Thai restaurant gauge--the national dish of Thailand.

Edamame--The edamame was cooked perfectly and came with salt on the side. I think edamames multiply at the bottom of the bowl. This bowl was more than plentiful; so much so we didn't even finish.

Hamachi Kama-This fish collar is what fish would taste like were it butter. Mmmmm... Fish butter. Hamachi is pretty much always a standout dish, and this was the best we've had yet. Tender, flaky and just like butter. The accompanying tamarind sauce was great, too, and we ended up scooping up every little piece with our fingers.

Me Krob--Sauteed chicken and shrimp on a bed of sweet and tangy crispy vermicelli noodles with fresh bean sprouts and scallions. This dish walked the delicate balance between sweet, crunchy and sour.

Pad Thai--We had chicken. The Pad Thai was great, especially with the addition of Coco's vinegar chili sauce. Juicy chicken, well cooked noodles, and great tofu nuggets, but no lime or peanuts. I love lime, but the vinegar sauce (ask for it separately with chili flakes if you like heat) gave a great bite. Minus the condiments, the dish was a bit too sweet for me, but such is the joy of condiment-based cuisine.

Everything we had was excellent. All of the proteins were cooked perfectly and the flavors balanced nicely.


Décor:

Hip lounge decor with music straight from Alt Nation (the alternative rock station on XM Radio), mixed dark and light woods, subtle Thai touches (in the fabrics and canopied booths), atomic starburst-style chandeliers, and a cool white modern lounge wall. Not at all what you expect to see in a strip mall (albeit an upscale strip mall) in Fort Lauderdale.


Service:

Good.


Overall impressions:

This place is great and we will definitely be back. I would venture to say a crowd pleaser as well, since they serve non-Asian dishes.


Rating:

4.5 out of 5 salamanders





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