Coco Cubano, Crows Nest

A few weeks ago we went to the Crows Nest branch of Coco Cubano. As the name suggests, the theme is Cuban - they play Cuban music, sell Cuban cigars and make Cuban club sandwiches. The range of food on offer, however, is... well... distinctly pub-like. The ordering system is pretty pub-like too, as patrons are required to seat themselves and order/ pay at the counter. In the process, we nearly tripped over a gas canister that they just left between the counter and near the doorway (there were no more indoor tables so we sat outside).

It was our first time at the franchise, but I had fairly high hopes. Popular businesses are turned into franchises, yes? In turn, popular restaurants are popular because the food is good... right?

In this case, I think they're better known for their drinks and $9 tapas specials on weekdays. We were there on a Sunday, which meant that that particular special didn't kick in. When we saw how miserly the tapas portions are, we felt a little ticked off.

The size of the sangria jug somewhat made up for this shortcoming. Low in alcohol and full of oranges and lemonade, it was sweet and easy to down - even though there were only two of us.

Red sangria jug ($19 on Sundays)

First to be sampled was the calamari. It was a little tough, so we ended up popping each ball of calamari into our mouths rather than sawing them up into smaller pieces. The roasted garlic sauce added a little pop of zest - though it tasted more like tartar sauce.

Calamari ($12.90)

The serving of grilled chorizo with olives was the most disappointing for the boy. Firstly, it wasn't spicy. Secondly, there wasn't much of it. I ended up leaving most of it to him and eating the olives. One day I'll have to bring over a few packs of chorizos to kill off the craving for good (it's been festering for months now!!).

Grilled chorizo ($9.90)

Looking at the menu now, the mini beef tacos should have been served with salsa and guacamole. Where are my salsa and guacamole? :( They definitely needed some, as they were charred and dry.

Mini beef tacos ($10.90)

The potted prawns weren't bad, though I'm pretty sure potted prawns are meant to be served with a pudding-like, buttery spread. Here, they were slathered in romesco sauce (a pasty Spanish sauce consisting of almond and red capsicum).

Potted prawns ($13.90)

 Since 4 dishes weren't enough, we ordered a chorizo pizza. It was thin-crust with a whole heap of cheese and about one chunk of chorizo per slice. Not fantastic, but it killed off the hunger.

Chorizo pizza ($16.90)

Looking at the main meals that other patrons received, there's probably more bang for your buck (and tastebuds) there. Needless to say, I shan't return for tapas.