Cocomo's Grill offers much more than tropical nights and traditional island fare. With a well-rounded menu representing virtually every cooking style imaginable, Cocomo's is a great crossroads of flavors for all occasions.

Located at 945 North Collier Blvd., Cocomo's may have monkeys on the menu, but there is very little monkey business — except in the kids' arcade room for patrons 12 and under.

Chef Luis Sotelo is in the serious business of delivering tasty intercontinental cuisine with ethnic flair at affordable prices. Realizing that we now live in an "experience economy," Cocomo's ventures beyond the norm, offering exotic appetizers and entrées from around the world.

With the Beach Boys' "Aruba ... Bahama ... Come on pretty mama ..." adding a spring to our step, my dining party and I were welcomed by Whitney Crawford. Whitney seated us by the wishing-well fountain and explained Cocomo's theme: "Get here fast and take it slow."

"You've already done the first part; you got here!" Whitney offered. "Now it's time to take it slow and enjoy the evening."

The very first item on the menu caught my wife's eye — the falafel and hummus with freshly baked Naan for $10.99. Falafel is ground chickpeas, onion, garlic, sesame seeds and spices shaped into round patties and fried until crispy. Hummus is a chickpea puree, flavored with sesame, garlic, lemon and cumin. Naan is a yeast dough cooked to order. This entire episode in taste-travel spans from India to the Middle East and deserves a stamp of "wonderful" on a culinary passport.

I chose the chicken lettuce wraps for $10.99. This little trek over the Asian-fusion mountains is a great-tasting, healthy alternative to heavy appetizers that leave little room for anything else. The chicken was light and flavored with soy; the lettuce, icy-cold and crisp; and the bean sprouts, water chestnuts, onion and cilantro added just the right flavors to make this occasion awesome!

For an entrée, our tablemate from Michigan chose the Vietnamese rice noodles with beef for $13.99. Wow! How much more of an exotic experience can you ask for than an entrée from Vietnam? The rice noodles are vermicelli with a light beef broth infused with star anise and basil. The beef is thinly sliced sirloin with bean sprouts, onion and cilantro. This Asian affair is topped off with sides of extra basil, hoisin and the ultimate Asian hot sauce: Sriracha.

For dinner, I chose the Mongolian beef for $15.99. This wok-seared little zinger from just north of Beijing is a must for those who like it hot and spicy and full of flavor. The thinly sliced beef is marinated in soy-vinaigrette, then seared in a wok with whole, dried red chilies, green onions and honey. For an additional zing, the Sriracha sauce is available on every table Cocomo's.

For dessert, Whitney insisted we try the fried cheesecake and the sweet potato martini. All the desserts at Cocomo's cost $4.50 and Whitney was "spot on" when she suggested these November specialties. The fried cheesecake was crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle and served with a big dollop of vanilla ice cream. The sweet potato martini was a sweet potato casserole with brown sauce, vanilla ice cream and honey, served in a martini glass.

Cocomo's atmosphere blends tropical chic with island casual, with a nice touch of family-pride ownership. A game room is available for kids that want a little action — and for parents that might like some time alone.

The restaurant is open 11:30 a.m. until close seven days a week, with live entertainment on Friday and Saturday. The sensational Tim Crandall performs every Saturday night. (For a good seat, "Get there fast," because Tim is not only an extremely accomplished musician but he is also very popular.)

Cocomo's offers a dining-around-the-world experience, with everything from tuna tartare and chicken marsala to island favorites such as grouper fingers and coconut shrimp. Pasta and steaks are also well represented along with "Shyan's corner," a kids' menu, plus a wide range of salads and sandwiches.

Lunch and dinner specials are offered daily, along with Cocomo's specialty: their soup of the day. Reservations, entertainment information and specials are available by calling 394-3600.

Cocomo's Grill has a great casual feel with a kid-friendly environment, and with Scott, Bonnie, Shyan, Emma, Whitney and the rest of Cocomo's staff serving up Chef Luis's creative creations, Cocomo's will certainly have everyone ready to "Get there fast!"

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