Located on the picturesque river walkway of Shad Thames and overlooking the iconic Tower Bridge, Coco Grill & Lounge brings to London a taste of the Anatolian peninsula, which stretches from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. The food here is seasonal and the restaurant works closely with their network of farmers to source halal-certified meats to ensure our dishes make use of the freshest ingredients, alongside spices and herbs which are used to ensure the finest expression of Anatolian cuisine and flavours. The restaurant is sin-free (no alcohol is served) – but don’t let that stop you. Because the food is great!
Inside it’s decadent and made with Instagram in mind. Expect lots of marble, sultry lighting, hints of gold and floral installations to get those all-important social likes. Given the location, it needs to be a little lighter inside during the day given its sublime river location, but come an evening you can imagine the place packed to the brim with a DJ playing in the corner (yes that’s a thing here).
Outside, there’s a lovely terrace where you can enjoy a drink, your meal, or an evening filled with chatter and shisha which fits in perfectly with the Antalonian feel. It’s the perfect place to sit at night and watch the London night lights come alive as the sun sets.
To kick off our tastebuds we started by tucking into a couple of their sin-free cocktails which are all made from fresh fruits and ingredients which do make for some very enjoyable sips. For those who want that lovely fresh fruit rush, order the Mango and Passion Mojito. For those looking for a little theatrics, go for the Royal Spirit Dakari. With a combination of the theatrics of it being served in a bubble (which you get to pop) – this is great fun to get you in the mood.
As for the food, we started with one of my favorite dishes here. Crispy spiced shrimps with Korean glaze, grapefruit mayo & burnt lemon. The prawns were gargantuan, the flavours were fantastic and the batter on the prawns was heavenly. Definitely, a dish to order.
Equally as good were the slow-cooked duck tacos. With a show-stopping dry ice presentation, don’t let the theatrics distract you from the tacos because they are sublime. The duck was so juicy, packed with flavour and each mouthful was such a joy to eat.
For mains we started with the most amazing grilled tiger prawns and which were so big they looked like they were plucked out of the Pacific Ocean. Big, juicy, perfectly and cooked over hot charcoal. These are prawns cooked for the gods and if you order them – you absolutely will not be disappointed.
We also ordered the lamb chops with CoCo tzatziki and chili sauce which were great, but for me compared to the other dishes we enjoyed – they were a little bit of a letdown. The cooking was spot on, the size and portion were again gargantuan but for me, it lacked that real meaty lamb flavour I love. Change the sourcing of the lamb and keep the cooking technique and this could be a real winner.
To finish, what will no doubt become their signature dessert dish – the Lotus Biscuit cheesecake. Gosh, it was good. I didn’t think I’d have any room left by this point, but this dessert was so well put together I’d have made room for it no matter how full I was. The Lotus biscuit base was as delicious as I hoped, the cheesecake flavour was fantastic and the texture overall was great. Another must-order.
The Coco Chocolate Souffle, while technically cooking-wise more of a chocolate fondant was another stunner. Decadent, rich, chocolaty, and left a thousand calories on the hips – but well worth every single mouthful.
The verdict at CoCo Grill & Lounge? The food is fantastic, the venue is very pretty and the outside setting is rather dreamy, especially during sunset I can imagine. The lack of alcohol will distract some, but if it’s not your top priority and food is – you’ll have a fabulous time with some of the best views in London and theatrics galore to accompany your food. Not to mention that DJ at the weekend.
