12 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Coast Weekend’s local restaurant review Curry & CoCo’s Rating:  Curry & CoCo’s a go-go By RYAN HUME FOR COAST WEEKEND There seems to be something of a Thai food boom on the North Coast. From a sec- ond-chance venture like Portland-trans- plant Thai Me Up or a new location from Manzanita’s A Mighty Thai in the former BJ’s Pizzeria’s 101 location (both restau- rants opening in Seaside), plus local stal- wart Nisa’s Thai Kitchen in Warrenton and Astoria’s beloved food truck Mai Tong, one has to wonder if Thai cooking will become as common in the area as New American cuisine. Enter Curry & CoCo Thai Eatery in Astoria, from seasoned restaurateurs Nalin- rat Sahunalu and Brian Fernandez. Opening in the former location of the Mexican-men- ued Rio Café on Ninth Street, which was most recently occupied by the Smokehouse Butcher Block, the space has been rejuve- nated by a few spats of renovation. It is now bright and open, with kitschy décor nodding to both Sahunala’s and Fernandez’s respec- tive heritages (Thai/Cuban), around a few industrial splashes, like exposed wall vents. One way Curry & CoCo is separat- ing from the pack is with the inclusion of a Cuban menu offered on Thursday nights to be called Havana Nights. This is what origi- nally piqued my interest, as it’s a most wel- come anomaly in our regional dining scene. So on a fi rst visit, I headed down on a Thursday and no Cuban food. There was not yet booze behind the handsome, alumi- num-saddled bar. Sahunala told me these were still on the way, with Havana Nights beginning in earnest this June. Admittedly, it is prema- ture to review a restaurant shortly after they open. Launching a restaurant is a very hard thing to do, and roll- ing things out slowly is a very sane move. With three other restaurants under her belt (including Yellow Curry Cozy Thai in Sea- side), Sahunala and Fernandez know what they are doing. It is a testament to their expertise that the service is warm and wel- coming and that everything already coming out of the kitchen is gracefully plated and delicious. Good dishes I was especially impressed by their han- dling of seafood. The Angry Catfi sh ($18) didn’t seem angry at all, but was crispy and fi rm under a cool cloud of green curry cream. Fisherman Madness ($18) offered up a battered or dusted fi llet of salmon that fl aked, still moist, into a sea of potent red curry. The eggplant slices accompanying this dish were also somehow nearly toothy as apples, not even near mushy, which is in itself a feat. Various appetizers did their job to open up the palette. Deep-fried chicken “Astoria Stickers” dumplings ($8) and Crispy Tofu ($6) were both at home dunked into a sac- charine-y Thai sweet and sour. The Rock’n Rolls ($7), a take on the common Thai salad roll, adds heft with the addition of lemon- (and rising?) 125 9th St., Astoria 503-741-3499 Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thurs- day-Tuesday. Closed Wednesday. Price: $$ – Entrées range from $11–$18. Service: Dine in, takeout Vegetarian / Vegan Options: With few exceptions, most menu items can be made veg- etarian or vegan. KEY TO STAR RATING SYSTEM  Poor  Below average  Worth returning  Very good  Excellent, best in region ($13) weren’t just placehold- ers, but great expressions of these well-known dishes. The Tom Yum comes with a sunken vessel of Ryan Hume pure fl ame rising from the middle of the bowl which not only keeps the hot and sour broth warm, but grass chicken and could serve as a light also reminded me of the creation of volca- lunch all on their own. nic islands. As they also offer takeout, I fi gured I If I have one caveat, it would be con- should try that too, though I’m not sure trolling the spice level. Wandering through I would order the same dish to-go again. the menu, it’s a bit hard to distinguish what The Spicy Basil ($12 or $14) is a stir fry will give off heat. As something of a cap- of ground meat and a ménage of vegeta- sicum-head, I would have loved the oppor- bles served tunity to fi nd over rice more crushed and topped bird’s eye ‘ONE WAY CURRY & COCO IS with a chilies in my fried egg. Spicy Basil SEPARATING FROM THE PACK I chose sauce, while IS WITH THE INCLUSION OF pork off I know oth- of Sahu- ers might be A CUBAN MENU OFFERED nala’s rec- infl amed by ON THURSDAY NIGHTS TO BE ommenda- the subtle, tion. The growing spice CALLED HAVANA NIGHTS.’ over-easy in the Tom egg meant Yum broth. to spill But these and velvet up the thin, soy-based sauce are fi rst impressions on a kitchen in its had risen to over-medium on a car ride infancy. What they have already accom- across town. This seemed less of an issue of plished is well plotted and thoughtful. I am excited to see what they will put out from kitchen prep and more an issue of physics. their Cuban side and what drinks they There are plenty of menu items that would will sling from that bar. Curry & CoCo travel better. deserves another visit, and maybe another Thai staples like Pad Thai ($11-$14 depending on protein) and Tom Yum Soup after that. CW Curry Pad Thai at Curry & CoCo