As my date and I approached Coco's, we immediately sensed it was suffering from an identity crisis: the restaurant couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a cozy cocktail lounge or an ambient fine-dining experience. Such schizophrenia marred the night. \r
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We were sat upstairs in a cramped, dimly lit table for two that overlookd the downstairs stage and the bar. At first, such seating seemed charming, but the lighting made conversation difficult and the upstairs arrangment rendered service quite slow. \r
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Equipped with the impression of a ""one-dollar-sign"" restaurant, we soon changed our minds after perusing a menu whose prices ranged from $8-12 for ""small plate"" appetizers and $14-26 entrees. The wine list offered a decent selection - the reds were tempting - but we had to budget our meal, given that we thought we were going to get a decent return on our investment. Instead of fermented grapes, we went for some beers on tap. Affordable and fresh, but we could have gotten those anywhere.\r
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We chose a baked brie appetizer served with bread that was baked as if it were armed for combat and fruit that knew it was out of season. The brie was sweet but a oozed a little bit too much for this species of cheese even when heated. At over $11, the appetizer was a less than satisfactory start.\r
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My date was craving seafood, and we indeed chose this place because of reviews we read about its excellent seafood fare, but the only dish they offered was a crusted Alaskan halibut at $23. Since she's a vegetarian, she settled with a cheese ravioli at $14 that we could just have easily made at home. (As a matter of fact, she made the dish just a week before.) I went for Coco's pasta, which was an overpriced and undersized concoction of feta, Kalatama olives, and gooey mushrooms; thankfully, the pasta itself was doused with the right amount of oil, so I didn't feel like I was eating at the Olive Garden.\r
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In the end, Coco's tried hard for clumsiness.\r
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Pros: Smoking section available, convenient parking, promising fare
Cons: Overpriced menu from top to bottom, service hampered by stairs not waiters
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