By Richard Foss
Note: Written in 2007
I remember when I first saw the sign announcing that a new restaurant called Coco Noche was going to open in the space on Highland next to the Kettle in Manhattan Beach. From the name I figured that it would be another Cuban restaurant, and I was less than excited. When I found that the place would be a wine bar serving California-Korean fusion and chocolate desserts, I was boggled. Korean food isn’t notably wine-friendly and doesn’t have a strong dessert tradition, and I couldn’t see how it would fit together.
The concept still seems weird to me, but I have to admit that it works. My wife and I visited recently after a stressful day, and found the experience luxurious, even decadent.
We started with an Asian tapas sampler plate that offered fried vegetarian dumplings, small potato-vegetable pancakes with crème fraiche, and both seared ahi tuna and chicken-basil salad on wonton chips. Though this was called the Seoul Mix and used some Korean ingredients, it was an eccentric, subtle version of a notoriously spicy cuisine. The fried dumplings (called mandu in Korean) contained vegetables, rice noodles, and tofu, the natural ingredients allowed to speak for themselves. A traditional Korean chef would hardly be able to resist adding a touch of vinegar, some seaweed, or red pepper, but here the two dipping sauces, one with chopped cilantro and one without, added extra flavor when it was needed. The potato-vegetable pancakes were another odd hybrid; the Korean pancakes called pa jun are generally made with a mix of wheat and rice flour, and making them with potato flour changes the consistency from crisp to soft. I actually prefer the crisp exterior when they’re eaten alone – these would have been a nice accompaniment or wrapper for morsels of meat or fish, but didn’t hold my interest by themselves. The chicken salad did hold my attention; the bold basil flavor gave it a wonderful savory herb character, and it had a very fine combination of textures when served on the crisp wonton. As for the ahi tuna on a wonton, it was simple and enjoyable, the dot of crème fraiche with mango at the center of each looking like a microscopic fried egg. There wasn’t enough mango to provide any identifiable fruit flavor, just a slight tang that completed a nice presentation.
We continued with a small bowl of chicken-rice soup in an intense stock and a larger bowl of ahi bibimbap, the Korean traditional mix of rice and both raw and cooked vegetables that is often paired with seafood, beef, or chicken. The bibimbap was the closest to a traditional item that we tried, the vegetables and fish assorted by color to provide a pleasing contrast when served. In this case the vegetables were cucumber, zucchini, carrot, red cabbage, and a bit of spinach, with minimal sprinkling of sesame seeds for color and flavor. This dish also includes go chu jang, the spicy soybean and red pepper paste, which can be served on the side by request. We ordered it that way and were glad we did, since my wife appreciates the flavor but prefers it in much smaller quantities than I do. With or without the pepper paste, it was a fresh-tasting and filling meal, simple elements well combined.
The soup was also to our liking, a thick, full-flavored herb broth with rice, beans, and barley along with chunks of chicken and slivered vegetables. The portion was small, since this item was probably intended as an appetizer, but we split the appetizers, soup and bibimbap and were pleasantly full. We complemented the meal with a pair of wine flights from the ambitious wine list. Nine flights are offered, an impressive selection, and while they’re a bit overpriced at fifteen or sixteen dollars for three half-glasses, the wines are very well-chosen. We selected flights number six and seven, both non-Chardonnay whites, and enjoyed pairing sips of the six wines against dishes of varying spiciness to see how they held up. The Wente Monterey Riesling that seemed almost over-sweet by itself stood up to bibimmap with a dollop of that spicy sauce, and the dry rosé was a soul mate to the soup.
For dessert we chose two signature items – a cylinder of key lime and vanilla mousse with a chocolate weave exterior, and a dense, rich chocolate ganache dessert topped with hazelnuts and served on a bed of apricot sauce. Both were award winners at dessert competitions, and both deserved the honor, but we liked the key lime better. It went exceptionally well with a glass of Parrone Cabernet that our server Idania recommended, an atypical pairing that nevertheless brought out the best in both wine and dessert.
Coco Noche is an unlikely little café that is based on a winning idea, a genteel place to enjoy many small plates of very good Asian fusion food. Our bill for two was $108.00, which puts it a bit above the range of everyday dining, but we didn’t feel it was out of line. This is no everyday restaurant, and it is an eccentric and valuable ornament to the South Bay scene.
Coco Noche is located at 1140 Highland Avenue in Manhattan Beach. Open daily for dinner, midweek tapas and wine specials. Several vegetarian items. Street parking or parking lot around the corner at 12th and Morningside. Call 310-545-4925 for reservations.
