Thai Thai Village Sushi Bar
3½ palms
Where: 100 Harrison St., Cocoa Village
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday
Call: 321-631-8228
Other: The restaurant is in a great old building just steps from Cocoa’s Riverfront Park, a perfect spot for a pre- or post-dinner stroll. It also is close to Cocoa Village Playhouse, so it likely will draw a theater crowd.
Thai Thai Village Sushi Bar is the newest edition of this popular local restaurant chain, in a strategic and — judging by the early crowds — popular location in Cocoa Village.
By the time this review goes to press, the restaurant should have beer and wine. It didn’t when our party dined last week, but the menu indicates there will be the usual favorites, plus beers from Asia: Sapporo, Ichiban and Asahi from Japan; Singha from Thailand; and Tsing Tao from China.
The restaurant also has a substantial menu. Despite its “Village Sushi Bar” appellation, this Thai Thai has a large selection of Thai items as well as sushi. When the numbered items reach 170 (and they aren’t all numbered), you know there’s a lot to choose from, from inexpensive a la carte sashimi to more elaborate entrees in the $14 to $23 range.
Our party started with Thai spring rolls ($3.95) and Crab Angels ($6.95). I ordered the latter, and it was not an ideal beginning. Described as “Five fried crab wontons” and prettily presented, they were actually filled with fake crab and cream cheese. Faux crab has become a staple on many Asian restaurant menus, but it’s only acceptable if labeled as such.
Our experience was uneven from there, but the good items really were excellent. My husband’s Lady’s Finger combo ($17.95), including a rainbow roll, was served on a boat loaded with fresh, melt-in-your mouth sushi. My Thai Thai III Seafood Curry was delicious ($22.95). Tender mussels, scallops, shrimp and crunchy veggies studded a spicy red coconut-milk sauce that had my throat and lips pleasantly burning, quelled only by the creamy Thai iced tea ($2.50).
One companion liked her Beachside Roll ($11.95), with shrimp tempura, eel, avocado, cream cheese and scallions. Another wished for a little more kimchee flavor in her Kimchee Roll ($8.95). A third eyed her eel roll’s thin sauce suspiciously, then pronounced it “fantastic” ($7.95). “The eel is perfect,” she said.
The only other misstep was with dessert. The ice cream tempura went over well ($4.95). Who doesn’t love fried ice cream? But our cheese cake tempura with ice cream ($5.95) — in this case, green tea ice cream — would have been much better if the hunks of fried cheese cake were warm. They weren’t, and cold-meets-cold met with apathy on my part.
The chaos likely will diminish as Thai Thai settles into its new spot, and I’m happy it’s there. At last, sushi in the Village!
Contact Kridler at 321-242-3633 or ckridler@floridatoday.com.
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