cafe coco reviews?

S Smith · Post by **S Smith** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:52 pm

is the food good at cafe coco? what about the ambience and service?
this menu seems limited and i hope thats not all they offer, can anyone elaborate on the menu?

Appetizers
Piménto Mexicano TT$74.99
Chili Peppers Stuffed with Mozzarella
Served with Shrimp and Tomato Salsa

Trinidadian Chicken Liver Pate TT$45.00
Served with Char-Grilled Country Bread
and Lowlands Chutney

Tobago Thumb TT$45.00
Deep-Fried Strips of Fish with Tartare sauce

The Coco Kettle
Callaloo Soup TT$25.00
Bully Busti TT$35.00
Café Coco’s soon to be famous fish stew
Made with rare and not so rare Species of Local Reef Fish

Salads
Trinidad Coastal Shrimp & Spinach Salad
With Cheese and Cilantro Dressing TT$74.99

Thai Curry Chicken TT$56.25
With Bean Sprouts topped with a Yoghurt
and Ginger Dressing

What the Chef Eats
Stew Beef Cubano
Delicious seasoned meat with a variety of local herbs and spices slowly cooked in the oven.
Finally served with a few other Things

Big Mommas Bermudian Fried Chicken
Secret batter recipe, far better than the Colonel’s Chicken

Grilled or Blackened Fish Jamaican Style
With a Parmesan Mash in a Café Coco Wine Sauce

Pizza and Submarines
Pizza
Café Coco - Smoked Chicken, Cheddar, Peppers TT$56.25
Little Sicily - Pepperoni and Mozzarella TT$73.75
Local Road - Mushrooms, Sweat Peppers, Pineapple TT$50.00
and Sweet Corn

Submarines
Fishboat - with Catch of the Day, Lettuce and TT$37.50
Tomatoes
Toreador – Texas Beef, Lettuce, Tomatoes TT$43.75
Chicken Run – Chicken, Lettuce and Tomatoes TT$31.25

Stephen Turner · Post by **Stephen Turner** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:22 pm

I would say the food is pretty good. If I had a criticism, it would be that the atmosphere seemed a bit ... sanitised, maybe. It was always quiet when we went there, but it was early in the season, and we ate earlier than most people. But it is also tucked away in a back street.

Oh, don't pay by credit card if you can help it because they'll charge you in USD at some arbitrary conversion rate, effectively adding a surcharge of a few percent.

But overall: definitely worth a visit.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:26 pm

I took this issue (credit cards being charged in US dollars at a poor exchange rate) up with the owner of the Coco Reef/Cafe Coco during my last trip. He was unaware of the problem and a few days later I was told that the system had been changed and no longer penalised the customer.

I didn't get the opportunity to test this for myself and would appreciate the comment/confirmation from anyone who has eaten there since mid-March and paid by credit card.

Stephen Turner · Post by **Stephen Turner** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:34 pm

Thanks for pursuing that, Steve. Always working tirelessly on our behalf!

Rachel Harries · Post by **Rachel Harries** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:48 am

Hi

We have eaten at Cafe Coco three times. I would say it could be wonderful but there's a certain something missing, and it's difficult to put my finger on exactly what! The food is good (and portions are HUGE), it's quite Americanised by Tobago standards, but has a really pleasant atmosphere, is very well run and could be quite romantic given the right circumstances/company.

A good one to recommend, for families especially.

Rachel

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Sat May 14, 2005 11:56 am

I know exactly what you mean, Rachel, and agree totally. It is the largest restaurant on the island and my feelings are that that is the problem. It is so large that it is never busy enough to give it the 'buzz' you would expect from the lovely surroundings and decor and the decent food.

Rachel Harries · Post by **Rachel Harries** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:11 pm

The largest restaurant on the island? Gosh, yes, I suppose it must be. I have never seen more than 20 people in there - a pity. Do you think it suffers on the location front? You would have thought that it would get more of Coco Reef's trade - they should do better deal for hotel residents for a start, considering the links (I know that there is a discount, but it's not too significant).

One for the ladies - the loos are divine! They put other restaurant loos on the island - and worldwide - to shame!

R

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:27 pm

Yes, the location means it misses all passing trade. An awful lot of visitors haven't had the benefit of reading myTobago and simply don't know its there. Let's be honest, all you see is the gate, even if you have walked down the road.

My only criticism of the loos - which are magnificent, as you say - is that the area outside is rather dark and the male/female signs not exactly obvious. I went and walked into the ladies by mistake. Thank heavens there was nobody in there!

S Smith · Post by **S Smith** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:46 pm

thanks for the reviews.
can anyone tell me if they have lobster and steak on the menu? and the prices?
also is there a large variety on the menu?

Nicola Scott · Post by **Nicola Scott** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:33 pm

We married in Tobago in November 2004 and took 30 friends and family with us, whilst there we ate in Coco Cafe and all I can say is perfect. The decor is lovely, the restaurant clean and the food wonderful...we visited twice with big groups and every-one loved it! I would very highly recommend a visit.

Steve Pitts · Post by **Steve Pitts** » Tue May 17, 2005 12:01 pm

Hi S.

Visited Cafe Coco on the last evening of our recent vacation and wish we'd found it earlier.

Very nice staff - some of the nicest we've had the pleasure of dining with and on top of the excellent, friendly service the food was very well prepared and portions were reasonable.

The decor is a mix of Grecian/ Caribbean with airy colonial style ceilings, furniture and lots of flowering plants, surrounded by statues, urns and water cascades.

Steak is on the menu, as is lobster, but I think that you have to pre-order the lobster thermadore 24 hours in advance.

We didn't make a reservation (Wednesday evening), but there was plenty of room for us and around 20 other diners, most of whom appeared to be regulars and well known by the staff.

I'm not usually one for dressing up for diner, preferring to slob around in sandals and shorts, but this is one resturant where it is worth making the effort to go smart - casual with the ladies putting on a party frock and the gents going with long trousers and short-sleeved shirts. No jacket or tie required.

Talking of gents - I didn't get to use the facilites (wish I had now going by the reports), but then I'm not at the age where my bladder gets the better of me.

Have recommended Cafe Coco to several friends who are visiting later in the year and have no hesitation in passing on the same recomendation to myTobago readers.

Steve

S Smith · Post by **S Smith** » Wed May 18, 2005 10:00 am

i will definately check it out then

Steve Pitts · Post by **Steve Pitts** » Wed May 18, 2005 11:14 am

If you do, then if our visit was anything to go by, you'll have a good time.

One minor point - we were shown directly to our table and ordered drinks while choosing our meals and waiting for them to arrive. If you want a cocktail, glass of wine or beer, before ordering, then head for the bar first and take a table later - there's no rush.

Cheers
Steve

S Smith · Post by **S Smith** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 6:31 pm

can someone give me directions to cafe coco please?

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:06 pm

Hi S

Cafe Coco is very easy to find, but not somewhere that you will come across by chance. It just off Pigeon Point Road.

About 100-150m up Pigeon Point Road from the junction with the Milford Road (the main road between the airport and Scarborough), you take the first turning left (alongside what was Pepe's Restaurant, now closed). Cafe Coco is about 75m up the road, on the right. Look at the photo in our restaurant listings and that's what you will see.

If you're walking up from the Store Bay area, a short-cut is to cut through the drive-thru bank lane between the RBTT Bank and the Clothes Wash Cafe. When you come out at the back, turn right and Cafe Coco is just up on the left.

Incidentally, referring to your post at the top of the page, Cafe Coco has a very long menu by Tobagonian standards.

S Smith · Post by **S Smith** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:33 am

thanks Steve, but i think i may still be a bit lost
is it next to the Coco Reef Hotel?

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:36 am

It is right next door to the Coco Reef Resort, but unless you can persuade the hotel to let you out through the kitchens and back admin areas, you'll have to go the long way round - about a 5 minute walk.

As you leave the hotel, turn left. Go past the crazy golf and pretty much the first buildings you will come to, on the left, are the RBTT compound mentioned in my directions above.

S Smith · Post by **S Smith** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:36 am

i visited cafe coco, it was lovely, very romantic setting with the lights, the waterfalls
i sampled the fish sticks, the beef tacos, tempura shrimp and the steak, i found the fish an shrimp to be salty though

M Julien · Post by **M Julien** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 5:16 am

Hey there. I recently had a wonderful reception at the Cafe Coco and prior to that I had dinner there. I thought the food was great! The curried lamb is my absolute favorite! It's so tender and the flavor was just amazing! I had to have that on my reception menu and it was a big hit with the crowd of locals at my wedding. If my Trinidadian husbands family liked the curry then it had to be good!

Misa

Antony · Post by **Antony** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:55 pm

Hi there. I’m new to this forum and have just got back from T&T.

I found the Café Coco to be, on the whole, an enjoyable experience. I had the shrimp (can’t remember the name they gave it) and that was tasty – however compared to the Pelican Reef, I felt the food and service was inferior – but the décor and general atmosphere superior.

The waitress we had seemed a little surly, and a friend we were with ordered a pizza which they burnt (which they didn’t send out: after 5 minutes with everyone else eating their lamb/shrimps the manageress came over and explained the delay of the pizza). As a result I didn’t feel the service was worthy of a tip, and on the credit card tip area, crossed a line; when the waitress saw this, she shook her head is disgust which was surprising, and just left a sour taste.

Also to my surprise is the fact that they seem to have charged my credit card in USD, not TTD which I’m sure (must dig out all my receipts and check) is what the credit card slip which I signed was in (TT) (I assume that “BELLA FORMA RESORTS LT TOBAGO” is Café Coco?). I know that other hotels also do this eg. The Marriot Courtyard in Port of Spain (Trinidad), however they TELL YOU that they will do this so it’s no surprise.

So to answer Steve’s question, it seems Café Coco are still charging is USD.