Coco South East Asian Cuisine

We ate Curry Laksa and brought us here. Very delicious! We also ordered other dishes such as the Chicken Satay, Shrimp roll and Oyster pancakes. I also had the coconut. Everything came well and definitely came back!

My first NYC food review in what feels like four hundred eons! Today I went to Elmhurst, seeking something spicy and filling. I originally planned on going to local-favorite Vietnamese joint, Thai Son. But some hi-jinx led me to Elmhurst Avenue, where Coco, another place on my list, was mere meters away. I was the first customer of the day, having arrived right at opening time. The hole-in-the-wall had top forty radio blaring, with the quick banter of two young waitresses providing a rare escape from middling autotune. I ordered a red curry with chicken, because despite the restaurant’s proclamation of being both Thai and Malaysian, one of my friends had recommended the Thai section of the menu. Besides, who doesn’t love a nice, spicy red curry on a crisp spring day? Well, many people, surely, but I am not many people. After a week in California, I had missed spicy food. Finally, something with real warming flavors. I heard steaming and sizzling from the kitchen. An ever comforting smell. I sat at my dark-oak table, my hands pressed slightly on the thin layer of glass, listening carefully to the sound of searing meat. I sipped on my water, eating the ice-cubes as they came, a strange taste underlay the water, but I couldn’t place it. In retrospect, perhaps it was a faint infusion of rice. I’ve had rice water before, not for many years, but I have a vague recollection of it tasting similar to Coco’s water. Most of the interim time was consumed looking out the window. I looked past the posters obscuring the bottom half of Coco’s four front window, and cautiously observed the heads of passing people, constraining my curiosity as to avoid notice. Another man came in soon after me, I watched him watch the waiter who was watching him enter. Then, my curry arrived. I noticed four things in the curry: first, the warm but not overwhelming temperature, second the light but appreciated spice, apparent, but not overwhelming the chicken. I would’ve liked a little more punch spice-wise, but there was no scarcity of heat. Third, I noticed a wonderful injection of coconut, and a beautiful mix of juicy, warm, spicy chicken, and acidic, quick, abrasive pineapple. Like fantasy bridging the strange and the familiar, Coco bridged classic comfort food of old America with the refreshing, warm pallet typical of Thai cuisine. The fourth thing was salt. Salt. Oh the salt. Coco was too salty. Noticeably salty. I need two more glasses of water salty. Alright, not that bad, but still. The salt was a little too prevalent. Reduce the salt, and Coco’s red curry would’ve been in contention for best dish of my life. It was still excellent, just not top-tier. Compared to other Thai joints in Elmhurst and neighboring Jackson Heights, Coco had more coconut nodes, as the name implies. I appreciated the increased fruitiness and acidity. The curry was also wonderfully wet. Neither the fruit or the liquid were overdone. Balance. The curry was almost perfectly balanced, a little less salt and it would’ve been otherworldly. Still, Coco has wonderful food, fair prices, and easily warrants a second visit. Add in solid, quick service, and Coco becomes an enticing prospect for all enjoyers of Thai food. Will definitely check out something Malaysian next time. Rating: 8.5/10.

Small but nice place. It was surprisimg to see that not only could you fimd good food here, but they also sold jewelry. Gave me quite a chuckle.

Friendly and clean. The fish head soup is unique. The pawn noodles are good. Satay is good.

I enjoyed some authentic Shrimp Curry Laksa at a genuine Malaysian restaurant, and it did not disappoint! On a chilly winter day, the staff was incredibly welcoming, and the food arrived promptly. The noodles and broth were phenomenal, with flavors bursting in my mouth that made me smile with every bite. Although it was a bit pricey at $14, it was worth it. My friend ordered the Dry Curry Beef, which was also delicious. Plus, the bathroom was stunning—spacious and clean. Overall, I left very satisfied with my experience.