I don't like coconut, an aversion I've had all my life, yet I loved Coconuts. Chef Robert Simpson's newest Jamaican eatery, Coconuts, opened in Palo Alto in early September. Despite my dislike of that rock-hard, husky, fibrous fruit, I thoroughly enjoyed his subtle use of its nectar in flavoring rice, curries and desserts.Simpson's Back A Yard Jamaican American Grill in Menlo Park continues to flourish. But, where Back A Yard is posited in an iffy location with limited seating and ambiance, Coconuts is colorful and inviting, offers ample seating, and is located across from City Hall on Ramona Street.
Simpson was born and raised in Jamaica, where his grandmother was the cook in the family. He grew up on hearty oxtail stews and goat meat, soothing papaya and plantains, exotic spices and tangy jerk rubs. His original goal in life was to become an engineer but he caught the cooking bug while a student.
Simpson attended a culinary school in Jamaica, then worked in Europe where he became grounded in French technique. He moved to New York, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and became a top chef at the Sandals resort. There he met his future wife, Anetta.
After living in Chicago, the couple relocated to the Bay Area, where Simpson was opening and executive chef of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Burlingame before going it alone in the restaurant business.
Coconuts is awash with vivid Caribbean colors: soothing turquoise and sultry melon, Jamaican sunset red-orange and lilac sea foam. Bob Marley wails continuously overhead. Live music -- steel drums, vocals, et al. -- play every Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The place pulsates with energy.
For starters, the codfish fritters ($7.25) were crisp and hot from the fryer, and seasoned with scallions and thyme. The accompanying Creole dipping sauce of mayo, ketchup, green onion and celery provided balance.
Irie Jerk Wings ($6.95), roasted over an open flame, were tasty little morsels. The wings were scarce with meat, but the dish was a good appetizer and revved up the taste buds. Irie is a Rastafari term generally meaning that something is "real good."
Aunt May's Curried Crab Cake ($10.25) with spinach, mango, avocado, papaya and mustard sauce was satisfying although a tad light on the crab. Flavors were complex and complementary; it was like biting into everything that is Caribbean.
Jerk is a style of cooking unique to Jamaica; meats are dry-rubbed or marinated with spices before barbecuing. Allspice, a Jamaican pimento and the scorching hot Scotch Bonnet peppers are the principal spices used although most jerk rubs incorporate dozens of ingredients.
The 16 spices in Simpson's jerk rub do not include Scotch Bonnets, which are hard to find in this area. So he uses habanero peppers, which are closely related. The rub yields meat that is spicy but not blistering, with fruity flavors.
Coconuts offers jerk in both mild and spicy versions. I prefer spicy to tame in food. The spicy jerk rub immediately brought my mouth to the edge of a fiery precipice but no further. Unlike much spicy food that just gets hotter in the mouth with each subsequent bite, Simpson's version elevates to two alarms but then holds at a nice steady pace throughout.
Whatever the jerk is rubbed on -- pork, fish, chicken or tofu -- the underlying flavors are released and cascade over the tongue, sometimes overtly, often subtly, but always intriguingly. While the portions are handsome at Coconuts, the food is so satisfying that gargantuan portions aren't needed.
The Jerk chicken ($12.95) was meaty and fragrant. The spicy rub permeated the skin and imbued the meat with bold, husky flavors. Sauteed vegetables, comforting fried plantains and a terrific rice-and-bean mixture completed the plate. The rice and beans were ubiquitous to most of the entrees and were rich with coconut flavor. I admit, I liked it a lot.
The braised oxtail ($14.75) was fall-off-the-bone good. The chunks of oxtail were like mini beef short ribs stewed for four-and-a-half hours in a caramelized reduction sauce. Oxtails were introduced to Jamaica by East Indian emigres brought in to help build railroads and man sugar plantations.
The special one evening was jerk pork ($12.95).ĘThe meat had been long-roasted, then chopped into bite-sized chunks. The spicy pork was like having little flavor grenades explode in the mouth. This was my favorite dish and I would be happy to have it four or five times per week.
The jerk salmon ($14.25) was delightful as well, the piquant exterior giving way to a fleshy orange-pink interior. Despite the spiciness, there was no doubt about what I was eating; the jerk rub encouraged and highlighted the salmon's delicate flavor and lush texture. Whipped potatoes, green beans and papaya mustard salsa accompanied.
For those of you who have never tried goat, here's your chance. Goat meat is growing in popularity in the United States. Long popular in Mediterranean fare, goat is a staple in India and Pakistan as well. Mexican kitchens rub chilies and spices on goat and roast it -- goat tacos can be spectacular. Coconuts offers goat ($14.25) as a curried dish with steamed rice, plantains, sauteed vegetables and a rich house-made mango chutney.
Desserts were good and helped calm keyed-up taste buds. Sweet potato pudding ($6.95), made with a discreet coconut cream atop a caramelized crust, was sweet, dense and not overfilling. The refreshing Key lime tart ($6.95) was a pastry filled with citrusy custard and whipped cream. The coconut creme brulee ($7.50) was delicious, my dinner partner informed me, although I couldn't gather the gumption to actually try it myself.
Coconuts vibrates with vivid colors, reggae music and a menu that is a flavor-packed powerhouse, coconut notwithstanding.
