Coast Restaurant

Description

The ambience of Coast Restaurant reeks chic, in a ring-a-ding-ding kind of way. The amber and coral colored hanging lights and square center settee topped with big toss pillows remind you of the kind of place Frank, Sammy and friends hung out. The food, however, is totally au courant. The gently grilled banana leaf wrapped grouper ($26) is a perfect example. An impeccably fresh fillet is accented with lively, pungent cilantro and ginger pesto — partnered with delicious coconut basmati couscous — and accompanied by a juicy, sweet-tart papaya relish and lemongrass curry sauce. It sounds like there is a lot going on but the dish comes together beautifully, as does another Coast best bet, a positively decadent seafood "pot pie" ($29) that bears no resemblance to anything made by Swanson. Starters ride the range from an ahi tuna "trilogy" (tataki, tartare and nicoise) to escargot ragout, a warm goat cheese tart or arugula salad with toasted peanuts. In addition to fine food, Coast boasts an intriguing array of unique cocktails and an extensive international wine list. The nightly chef's menu tasting is an ideal way to sip excellent vintages at a down-to-earth price. Coast's hard-to-resist parmesan encrusted french fries came with the big, fat (but virtually fat-free) burger. Far removed from a McMeal, it is always a terrific pick. Desserts are splendid — baked pineapple tart, mascarpone parfait, chocolate truffle torte. Can't decide? Opt for a few of the $2 dessert "shots," which come in flavors such as chocolate amaretto cream, apple crumb cake and orange creamsicle.

Location