Coca Restaurant - A Second Time

Written By clapalisoc on Friday, 9 September 2016 | 09:11

Just about a week after my visit to Coca Restaurant, I got an invite for a sponsored dinner! Coca x looloo - yes and yes! I was a little giddy coz my first visit was pleasant and I liked the food! I was also hoping to try their hotpot this time.

When I got to the restaurant, they already started serving appetizers to the group. Betsy, their marketing head, who was also our generous host in Mango Tree, was there. I prepared myself for a feast!

We started off with appetizers - Roast Duck Salad and Salmon Grapow Cups.


Roast Duck Salad from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Roast Duck Salad for 380Php

I loved the salad! The strips of duck meat were tasty and tender, the crispy duck skin was salty and added texture to this appetizer, the cucumber strips were crunchy and the watermelon cubes nailed everything together! Refreshing and light, such a great starter for the night!


Salmon Grapow Cups from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Salmon Grapow Cups for 180Php

The Salmon Grapow Cups were just okay. I have never had salmon cooked that way. The texture was so different like it was some ground meat of sort - a little tough, maybe because they added salmon skin, too salty and there was just too much of the meat inside the cup!


Red Fire Platter from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Red Fire Platter for 1400Php +++

Then my hotpot dream came true! They let us try the Red Fire Platter that had assorted meat, veggies and glass noodles. When getting this platter, you can choose up to two soups from their list. We got the Chicken Soup which was described as "Mild and Savory" and the Tom Yum Soup which was described as "Hot and Sour."
Thai Suki from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
My bowls of delicious soups!

I love Tom Yum and this version of Coca warms the soul. I love the fragrant and relaxing smell of the herbs and spices used. The characteristic sourness that tickles the taste buds, the fragrant lemon grass, the the spicy kick from the Thai Chili Paste that gives this soup it's orange-red hue and the soothing flavor from the galangal (ginger's sister from another mother lol) makes me want to slurp more. Add in fresh cilantro, MY FAVORITE HERB, and I'm in soup heaven. 

The Chicken Soup was okay. It was flavorful but I guess it was overpowered by the Tom Yum Soup.

Also, if you feel that the ingredients included in their hotpot platters are not enough, you can always add some more by choosing from their menu. Each add-on though comes with a price.


Coca Yang Chow Fried Rice from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Coca Yang Chow Fried Rice - Small for 220Php | Large for 320Php

Betsy also had us try the Coca Yang Chow Fried Rice. A hefty bowl of fried rice with all things nice - just the right saltiness, bits and pieces of meat, scrambled egg, toasted garlic, herbs and spices. It was pretty good I must say.

For mains, we had some squid and a platter filled with all things seafood!


Squid with Salted Egg from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Squid with Salted Egg for 380Php

The squid dish was in the form of fried squid rings smothered with salted egg! I was giddy to try this dish since I tried their Salted Egg Prawns last time. Same salted egg goodness but the battered squid rings were a little soggy. Maybe because of the salted egg? Nice flavor but this dish could have been better if the squid rings were a little bit more toasted.


Pacific Sunset from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Pacific Sunset for 1950Php

The star of the night was this magnificent seafood platter! King crab, squid rings, tiger prawns, pork sausage slices and corn in a thick and rich gravy! 
Pacific Sunset from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
A closer look at all the seafood in this platter!

 Can't quite explain the flavors of the sauce because it exploded with umami-liscious goodness from a mix of Thai spices and some dark earthy hints of Indian spices. Expensive but price was well justified with all the seafood in it!


Galorgee from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Galorgee - Small for 250Php | Large for 450Php

For dessert, we got to try their signature offering - Galorgee. I know it sounds happy and gay and how I wished it was a happy dessert ending to a sumptuous meal but nah. It was just okay for me. Deep fried thin squares of glutinous rice topped with peanuts, sugar and sesame seeds. It had a nice crunchy texture but it's not just something I would order for dessert. Wish we had something else.


Thai Iced Tea from Coca Restaurant SM Aura
Thai Iced Tea for 90Php

And.....of course, my forever Thai Restaurant beverage love - Thai Iced Tea! Washed down everything with two glasses of this!

Anyhow, it's always a fun time with looloo people! It was so nice to see Betsy again and glad to have met new people from the looloo community! 



4 out of 5 Stars for Coca Restaurant!



--- Coca Restaurant: 5/F SM Aura Premier, McKinley Parkway cor. 26th St., BGC, Taguig City
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About clapalisoc

I am a workaholic mom who is also trying to be the best wife ever. I am a self proclaimed food lover, a frustrated cook and pastry master. I have a thing for books and scrap booking fills up my free time. Blogging? It's something I do once in a while when I can squeeze in some "me time" in this super busy life.

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