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| - Coconut's isn't the first Hawaiian chain to hit the valley and it almost certainly won't be the last. But to be fair to owner Michael Phillips, this is one Hawaiian chain that really can trace it's roots back to the islands. I personally have not yet visited our 50th state, but I've sampled a fair share of Hawaiian cuisine at valley spots like Hula's, Leo's Island BBQ, and a number of poke shops. With their original location still operating in Maui, Coconut's now has locations throughout California and Arizona. On a Sunday at lunchtime, I wandered into Coconut's Shea location.
Located in the Harkins Shea 14 complex on the northwest side of 74th Street & Shea Blvd, Coconut's resides just a few doors down from the theatre. There's room for I'd guess about 60-70 at a time with the majority of seating out on the patio. Order up front here, grab a number, and they bring the good stuff out to you. As today was well into the triple digits, I happily planted myself inside amongst the surfboard smooth wooden seating.
Now then, to the important stuff. There were two menu items that stood out both from Yelp reviews as well as per the manager on duty. First off, their Coconut Shrimp appetizer. Six shrimp battered in coconut and then fried. Plus they're served with a thai chili pineapple sauce. Secondly, their Fish Tacos, the dish that apparently made Coconut's famous. 17 ingredients are in each of these tacos altogether, but here are the important highlights: Ono and Mahi Mahi fish, cheese, coleslaw, tomato salsa, and mango salsa on a pair of corn tortillas. Lastly, I got a beer. In this case, a Hanalei Island IPA from Hawaii's very own Kona Brewing. Total cost for the food, drink, and tax came to about $30. The verdict?
The IPA was incredibly refreshing, slightly fruity, and with a mellow hoppiness that goes down easy. The coconut shrimp each had a great crunch and the chili pineapple sauce gives you the flavors of both without the pain. I could've eaten dozens of these. Lastly, the main event. The tacos. These tacos are piled ridiculously high so good luck biting into these without half the ingredients falling onto your plate. If you can keep it altogether for at least the first bite, you will be as impressed as Zagat apparently was. An explosion of flavors & textures that match the array of colors that make up this taco. I really loved the mix of different salsas to give the tacos extra depth. Two tacos were more than enough to satisfy my appetite.
So yeah, I get why this place has caught fire. The price point versus the portion sizes might be slightly on the high side for some, but the quality of the food is such that I didn't mind paying a few extra bucks. And as other Yelpers have noted, the staff are over the top friendly here and were incredibly knowledgable about the menu and the restaurant's backstory. With all the Hawaiian restaurants I've been to in the valley, seems like the only logical next step would be to book a flight to the islands at my next opportunity and get the genuine article. Someday, Hawaii, someday.
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