Coco's is closing soon.....

[ItzKatzTime]

This thread has taken a turn - for the better!!!!
I am not a critic but I know what I like....

I agree with JDarg, the old hand written menu guide just does not do it for me either. With all the resources around here we need something that looks good. When I go to a new town I am always picking up whatever I can to see where to go and eat.
Rapunky was right.....I like a zagat type rating. Maybe 1-5 starfish (or someother symbol) to rate the places. Publish a "best of" every year.

Best crab cakes
best gumbo
best pizza
best scallops
best....yall get the picture....


I dont know how I could help but I will.....

IBD, what about if each restaurant gave a list of the very best things on their menu....with different categories, adding a best dish for the $! The problem with someone else making the decision about who has the best whatever is that with the diversity of people and their pallets they can be disappointed in what is listed as "the best". You would be surprised, or maybe not, how a regular onion or a shallot in a chicken salad can send people through the roof. Then there are some who like theirs chopped compared to finely diced. Or chuncky chicken salad compared to shredded chicken salad. I'm only using Chix salad because there ar so many ways to make it.

I think I need to go to bed ....I might be getting way off the issue.:roll:

niteKat

 

[Mango]

It's a shame that Coco's is getting by day to day at this point.
To be perfectly frank, had it not been for this board, I wouldn't have noticed it in it's present location. I think the value that it added for some was a place to go to get some jumbos, gather with friends, and get decent food at an affordable price.

Families who were vacationing may not have even known it existed, but would they have gone anyway? It's not exactly in the most attractive commercial stretch of 98 IMO, and when you are on vacation and looking to dine out, in lieu of running to Publix and prepping a meal, and in the present economy, people will be looking for all the value they can get if they go out and spend their money, whether it be a gulf view, or a funn place where memories could be made. The same will apply to the off season visitors; ie; snowbirds.

My first thought when entering Coco's was there was a lot of unused space in a large area that could have been used more efficiently (like a large Bar area) to sitting at and enjoy margaritas or Dos Equis while maybe kids, or those not drinking, listened to some mariachi music or a local band. There was no local artwork on the walls that reflected the charm of the area either. Would have a more festive environment attracted more people there vs. the big chain?
It made a difference with a Mexican restaurant in my area that took over a spot that had a very high turn over in restaurants. The place is always packed, and their food is not the best Mexican around.

I may not have the popular opinion, but I am keeping it real.

 

[ItzKatzTime]

Doug and Kalie went there tonight after I told them about this thread. They said things were different....the server wonderful, but it must be at the point of the last food. Doug saw another local SoWaller there too.

We just wish them all the best in the future.

 

[Curtis]

We have had some success with the link below. I noticed that there are many great restaurants in the area that are not listed with the TDC. Their advertising is far reaching, we have seen some success with it and would recommend getting listed on their website. It's a start.

www.beachesofsouthwalton.com/restaurants_search.asp


Cafe Tango, we will have to get together and talk. Look forward to it.

 

[30A Skunkape]

Shelly-The value added is better food and drink along with better service. I think that people on vacation might be willing to spend a bit more if they knew they were going to get something freshly prepared and not a boil in bag pre-fab plate of junk ala Applebees. Also, professional waitstaff are worth a few extra dollars. If you doubt this, quiz your Olive Garden server on the best wine to go with your marinara after you reject the two they are required to memorize. With that said, our indy operators have to uphold their end of the deal and deliver the best food, drink and service possible. I know that 70% of the visitors here will pack up the kids and flock like zombies to Olive Garden, Applebees, Joes Crab Shack, Landry's Seafood and their ilk because they perceive quantity as a value instead of quality. The key is to get the message out to the 30% that we have some exceptional dining in the area that will enhance their vacation experience.

 

[scooterbug44]

I think Shelley's point was more that sometimes the ala carte menus can seem a little off-putting to people accustomed to more inclusive meals and possibly watching their finances. Even I was rather surprised the last time I was at Fish Out of Water and saw that a $30+ entree required a $7 side if you wanted anything besides garnish & your meat/seafood choice. (absolutely wonderful food BTW and $7 is minor added to the typical bill, but it was still odd).

I love the idea of a local dining guide! Perhaps instead of potentially contentious "best of" designations, each restaurant could have a blurb about their restaurant's philosophy/uniqueness and their signature/favorite dish. Often I 'forget to remember' certain restaurant/bar options.

 

[SGB]

How about creating a nice booklet of the restaurants in the 30A area, with a map? It should include all the restaurants, not just those that pay to advertise. We have a notebook in our rental house where we put information about the area and plastic sleeves that hold menus we collect from the restaurants we go to. I also have a list in the front of the notebook of our personal favorites, all along 30A. It is hard to keep up with the opening and closing of restaurants although I'm constantly trying to remove or add menus when I can. (I need a new one for D&K, the one I had has disappeared!) If there was a nice booklet with consistent information, that summarized the type of food, a food price range, and setting or environment, and is easily kept up to date, all the the rental companies would be eager to place them in their houses. Perhaps one page per restaurant with photos, samples of the menu, etc. I know there are menu books available already, but I think they are in the whole Destin/Sowal area, and aren't very informative.

Also, just having an 8.5 x 11 menu or other information sheet about your restaurant would make it that much easier to keep up the notebook we have for our guests. Often menus are such odd sizes, it makes it hard to put and display nicely in the notebook. You could make a page up for your restaurant and give them to the rental companies to pass out to their owners that have such notebooks. I have found that some of our guests write comments on the menu if they liked the restaurant so the next guest will see it. Of course, having a nice booklet would mean we wouldn't have to keep up with the menus.

 

[tistheseason]

Also, just having an 8.5 x 11 menu or other information sheet about your restaurant would make it that much easier to keep up the notebook we have for our guests. Often menus are such odd sizes, it makes it hard to put and display nicely in the notebook. You could make a page up for your restaurant and give them to the rental companies to pass out to their owners that have such notebooks. I have found that some of our guests write comments on the menu if they liked the restaurant so the next guest will see it. Of course, having a nice booklet would mean we wouldn't have to keep up with the menus.

It's funny -- we have that problem too. I wonder why it hasn't occurred to restaurants to be more "menu book" friendly when they print their menus!?!?!?

 

[tistheseason]

IMO, Sowal needs more family friendly, less expensive options. The area caters to people seeking family friendly vacations but the restaurants are more upscale. AND I LOVE THE UPSCALE RESTAURANTS. When I am there with my girlfriends. But when the whole family goes to the beach, we are hard pressed to get to one nice dinner out. Thus, we end up cooking at home. Perhaps some of the more upscale restaurants could have an "early bird" kids menu that they offer from 6 - 7 only. Just a thought. . . .

 

[ItzKatzTime]

Shelly-The value added is better food and drink along with better service. I think that people on vacation might be willing to spend a bit more if they knew they were going to get something freshly prepared and not a boil in bag pre-fab plate of junk ala Applebees. Also, professional waitstaff are worth a few extra dollars. If you doubt this, quiz your Olive Garden server on the best wine to go with your marinara after you reject the two they are required to memorize. With that said, our indy operators have to uphold their end of the deal and deliver the best food, drink and service possible. I know that 70% of the visitors here will pack up the kids and flock like zombies to Olive Garden, Applebees, Joes Crab Shack, Landry's Seafood and their ilk because they perceive quantity as a value instead of quality. The key is to get the message out to the 30% that we have some exceptional dining in the area that will enhance their vacation experience.

Skunky, Doug and I have been in the food industry here in South Walton since 1986-87 and from the early '90s until now we have always marketed to that 30%. We are by far not the only ones, the first ones or the best ones. From early on there was Paradise Cafe, The Lake Place, Criolla's, Bud & Alley's, Grayton Corner Cafe, Basmati's, then Sandors, Cafe 30A, D&K's Little New Orleans Cafe, Borago's, Picolo's & The Red Bar, Cafe Provence....then we moved to Grayton and became D&K's Beach Cafe to finally end up D&K Cafe after the renovation. There are so many more wonderful restaurants now....but I was just going back to the earliest restaurants (that my tired mind can remember)and what we all have done over the last 20 years.

Things have changed, people have changed....it sounds simple to market that we "collectively" have exceptional dining in this area that will enhance their vacation experience. Believe me I have been advertising this for so long it's become a mantra. And over the years Magazines, Newspapers, Food Critics, Radio, Televison and the News Chanels have sang the same tune. And it worked! Because it was true and we were all so unique and each offered a specialty cuisine to diners. And, I believe this to still be true. BUT, since the Real Estate Crash, the opening of bazillions of small and large restaurants in South Walton and westward towards Destin it has become a matter of convenience, curiosity and just maybe that we all like to try something new....definitely can't say it's because tourists and locals can get lunch/dinner less expensive at these new places. Now, don't anyone get their nose all bent out of shape....there are the small casual and charming cafe's and deli's that one can get a lunch for under $10.00 on and around 30A. We applaud them!!!!!!

So, my friend, we will keep on keeping on and continue to seek the smartest, most honest and creative way to market to locals and tourists. For us Halloween was fantastic...our ads worked, the buzz was out, and the $19.95 Special was a big hit. So big we are going to offer it every night now....Salad, Chef's Special Entree, and Dessert. More about that to come on another thread.

Skunky we value your opinions, your advice and your knowledge. Please keep it up! I hope you can understand my ramblings.

Kat;-)