Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

photo by s.n. jacobson

Coconut Grove
905 Lincoln Rd. E
Vallejo
642-4413

Now open 7a.m daily

I never made it into Teeter’s Sportsbar before it closed, but I saw how crowded the parking lot was every time I passed it on highway 80. The parking lot is still full, but now the site is called, The Coconut Grove, a Family Restaurant and Bar.

Walking in to the Coconut Bar is a shock. The first thing that struck me was how noisy the joint was. In the evening during the middle of the week the long bar was full. Eight televisions presented a variety of shows and lotto results. There was background music. Two of the five pool tables were in use. This place is hopping!

Near the entrance is a window where you can order your food. Breakfasts are available starting from $3.95. Lunches include a variety of sandwiches and salads. Dinners are more extensive with specials available after 5 p.m.

We ordered our food and then stepped up to the bar to order our drinks. Everyone who works here is very friendly. Customers seem to follow the usual bar etiquette. Be cool and show up regularly and you could make friends. The red wine selection was limited to tiny bottles of Sutter Home Cabernet or Merlot, but there are a variety of beers on tap and the bartenders are experts at mixing exotic cocktails.

Next we checked out our seating possibilities. It was a little quieter outside on the patio, but the wind made it too cold for comfort. We chose to sit in the big wooden chairs of the dining area.

The woman we ordered from brought our food out with utensils. The Hot Wing Appetizers arrived warm and moist from the oven. They were spicy, but not hot enough to bring tears.

Our salads were composed of iceberg lettuce, small tomatoes, slices of cucumber and red onion, and some grated cheese. The dressing came on the side. I had the blue cheese dressing and was pleased to see there was no scrimping on the cheese.

My partner’s steak was cooked medium rare as he had ordered. A little steak sauce came on the side. The Snapper Piccata was swimming in butter and capers. This is not a complaint! I was amazed at the quantity of the meal for the price ($11.95.) And the quantity is not at the expense of quality. Everything was prepared perfectly. These entr√©es came with a choice of baked potato, rice or garlic mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes were the perfect texture, dry yet creamy with lots of garlic. The vegetables, saut√©ed carrots and zucchini were just done enough.

This is home cooking at it’s best. While there is nothing organic or gourmet about it, the food at Coconut Grove is the best a well-run kitchen can do when starting with products that are both easily available and affordable.

Many people order their food to go. One way to make use of the Coconut Grove is to stop on a way home from work, have a quick drink, and then taking dinner home to eat in a quieter, more intimate environment.

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