RSS
I have a new favorite hangout. It’s been around for months and is only five minutes from my home. I’d poked my head in the door a few times, picked up a takeout menu, flirted with the idea of stopping by. But for some reason I hadn’t gone. Until recently. I’m glad I did. Coco Asian Bistro & Bar is a great place, with friendly people, excellent service and authentic food. I’m just back from a February trip to Thailand and I can report honestly that everything I’ve tasted at Coco reminds me of Bangkok. The flavors are rich and complex, which are among the hallmarks of real Thai cuisine – that blend of sweet and sour, spicy and salty, the taste of contrasts.
Coco is owned by Mike Ponluang and he’s done a great job of assembling his staff. Dan the bartender is very personable and very eager to please his guests. Hostesses Mimi (from Japan), Pon (from Thailand) and Putu (from Indonesia) are delightful and stunningly beautiful. All the waiters and waitresses I’ve met also seem terrific.
The place itself is unusually attractive too. Many Thai restaurants are rarely fancy. Coco is elegant inside, with tasteful chandeliers that accent the dim lighting, a comfortable bar that makes the second drink hard to pass up and booths around the outside of the room that feel like separate alcoves. And though Coco is at the Harbor Shops complex in Fort Lauderdale, just off the 17th Street Causeway, the restaurant has a pleasant area for dining or drinking outdoors as well. Small palms and bamboo sticks create a tropical feel that somehow shuts out the parking lot. Sometimes I drop by in the afternoon just to sip a Thai iced tea and sit outside at one of the white-tableclothed tables. Coco also has some very nice mellow jazz on Friday and Saturday nights, and often plays recorded jazz on its sound system. I think I’ll head over there for a Thai tea this afternoon – I’m hooked on the place. For more info, call 954-525-3541 or log on to www.cocoasianbistro.com. If you see Mike or Dan, Mimi, Pon or Putu, tell them Bob says hello.
Coco is owned by Mike Ponluang and he’s done a great job of assembling his staff. Dan the bartender is very personable and very eager to please his guests. Hostesses Mimi (from Japan), Pon (from Thailand) and Putu (from Indonesia) are delightful and stunningly beautiful. All the waiters and waitresses I’ve met also seem terrific.
The place itself is unusually attractive too. Many Thai restaurants are rarely fancy. Coco is elegant inside, with tasteful chandeliers that accent the dim lighting, a comfortable bar that makes the second drink hard to pass up and booths around the outside of the room that feel like separate alcoves. And though Coco is at the Harbor Shops complex in Fort Lauderdale, just off the 17th Street Causeway, the restaurant has a pleasant area for dining or drinking outdoors as well. Small palms and bamboo sticks create a tropical feel that somehow shuts out the parking lot. Sometimes I drop by in the afternoon just to sip a Thai iced tea and sit outside at one of the white-tableclothed tables. Coco also has some very nice mellow jazz on Friday and Saturday nights, and often plays recorded jazz on its sound system. I think I’ll head over there for a Thai tea this afternoon – I’m hooked on the place. For more info, call 954-525-3541 or log on to www.cocoasianbistro.com. If you see Mike or Dan, Mimi, Pon or Putu, tell them Bob says hello.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 11:54 AM
Hi,
I was telling my son about the wild parrots, parakeets, iguanas and monkeys in Fort Lauderdale. Is it really true? and where should we go to see them?
Hi Jenn
Yes, it is definitely true. You can see the wild parrots and parakeets almost anywhere around Fort Lauderdale. Las Olas and the beach area around South Beach are often good spots. The monkeys are at the Bonnet House but you may need to ask someone who works there in order to find these little guys. They tend to hide. As far as iguanas, it's more a right-place-right-time thing. But they've become very common around South Florida. Keep your eyes open, especially around canals or other bodies of water. You'll see unusual wildlife here for sure. Hey, it's a jungle out there, Jenn!
Thanks! We're all very excited about our trip.
Thanks for the info. I plan on giving them a visit next weekend when I'm in town. Visit me now at http://jackiej1999.blogspot.com/
Jackiej
It's amazing! South Florida is home to a plethora of natural, open areas and parks that house wildlife and lush vegetation like none other.
Butterfly World, the world’s largest butterfly sanctuary is in Coconut Creek. And that's not all the Ft. Lauderdale Beach and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park are other hot spots in Ft. Lauderdale
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home