We hosted the Horace Mann 6th grade classes car wash on Saturday, March 10, to raise money for a school trip.

We love being a part of the Dayton community as a place to meet, but also a place to pull together and get things done. We’re always open to discuss ways we can help, so please, feel free to call Karin with your ideas.  (She’s in the picture, helping wash).

Join us for a Mothers day brunch on Sunday, May 11 from 10 to 2. Our special menu for the event is listed below.

Filet Mignon Eggs Benedict ~sixteen
Grilled choice filet, poached eggs, toasted English muffin with red pepper hollandaise.

Crabcake Benedict ~fifteen
Griddled crabcakes, poached eggs, toasted English muffin with red pepper hollandaise.

Corned Beef Hash ~fourteen
Sauteed corned beef, peppers, onions with scrambled eggs topped with scallion aioli.

Ham Steak ~fifteen
Griddled bone-in ham steak with honey dijon glaze.

Vegetable Frittata ~thirteen
Mushroom, spinach, tomato and cheddar.

Cinnamon-Sugar French Toast ~twelve
Cinnamon sugar french toast with honey pecan butter.

Southwestern Chicken Salad Croissant ~twelve
Peppers, onions and southwestern chicken salad croissant with lettuce & tomato.

Asian Tuna Lettuce Wraps ~fourteen
Asian spiced tuna, carrot, scallions on bib lettuce wraps.

Honey Ginger Shrimp Salad ~fourteen
Honey ginger shrimp, oranges, radishes on field greens with mango vinaigrette.

Sausage Biscuits & Gravy ~ten
Chef Darin’s housemade gravy and biscuits.

All entrees served with a generous portion of our fresh home fried potatoes and fruit salad.
Just For Kids ~five
French Toast • Scrambled Eggs • Chicken Tenders

Bloody Marys, Mimosas, Coffee, Juice, Wine & More… Join us for Mothers Day!

The Dayton Business Journal is asking for your choice for the “Best Burger in Dayton” and we’re in the running.

You can vote here: http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/poll/

Bistro Burger
Certified Angus burger char-broiled to perfection, topped with crispy pancetta, caramelized onions and Boursin cheese served on a focaccia kaiser bun served with a side of chipotle ketchup. w/fries or slaw.

Please head over to the DBJ site and vote.

Mom is special, we know that, you know that- and on special Sunday’s we open for our special brunch. It only happens a half-dozen days a year, so- make reservations now to give Mom the special Coco brunch that she’ll remember all the way till next year.

Sunday, May 11 from 10 to 2- menu to come, but don’t worry, there is always something for everyone on it.

We’re barely 2, and the wonderful reviews keep coming in. We’re flattered, and hope that you find the food, service and atmosphere as wonderful as this reviewer in Ohio Magazine:

Cocos Bistro | Ohiomagazine.com | Ohio Arts & Entertainment Articles
Here’s a little gastronomic quiz: If you saw broiled peaches on a menu — “peach halves stuffed with walnut bleu cheese stuffing, then oven broiled and drizzled with zinfandel reduction” — would you consider it an appetizer or a dessert?

At Coco’s Bistro, it’s the former — a slightly topsy-turvy choice that ought to suggest the zest and creativity at work in this relatively new addition to fine-dining options in southwest Ohio. The restaurant is perched on the outside edge of Dayton’s Oregon District, a popular downtown entertainment strip. A combination of good reviews, easy parking a rarity in this neighborhood, personal-touch service, great word-of-mouth and terrific food have turned Coco’s into a heavily trafficked spot. Expect a wait for lunch, and call ahead for dinnertime reservations.

Be sure to order those broiled peaches, too. Our smart, on-task waiter, Tony, confessed that the kitchen had talked about moving them to the dessert menu, but you’ll encounter few finer openings to a good meal than this. Unless, of course, you order the fried Brie, which comes crusted in crisp herbs and topped with comfit tomato compote, pesto and balsamic reduction. Put that on a crostini and you might just forget about broiled peaches. Might. Just.

Salads show the same flair. A blackened chicken salad includes caramelized peaches and an apricot vinaigrette drizzle; the plum spinach salad is spiced up with cinnamon-sugar pecans and pinot noir vinaigrette.

The number of entrees is not over-large, but the offerings are so different that variety is the order of an eclectic evening. The Black and Blue Ribeye, dripping in bleu cheese butter and melt-in-the-mouth onion rings, is as good as anything you’ll find in a top steakhouse. Other highlights of note: the Tuscan chicken, served on a pesto mash unlike anything we’ve run across elsewhere; the eggplant Parmesan, flash-fried with a merlot marinara that’s firmer and crispier than you expect anything eggplant to be; the bleu cheese hash-brown casserole that accompanies the already fine crab cakes; the beef and noodles that aren’t like anything your mom ever made; the Bistro Burger that isn’t like anything your dad ever made.

Combine it all with a dark and romantic dining-room atmosphere and an intelligent wine list, and — oh, yes — reasonable prices for a fine night out, and you’ve got a Dayton destination. — Ron Rollins

DAYTON
Coco’s Bistro 515 Wayne Ave., 937/228-2626. www.228coco.com. Lunch: Mon.–Fri. 11 a.m.–2 p.m., $6–$13. Dinner Mon.–Thur. 5–10 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 5–11 p.m.; entrees $13–$26. CR 3

We’re not sure what CR 3 means- but, we take all major credit cards.

We were looking through the March 2008 edition of Dayton B2B published by the Dayton Daily News, when we came across the “B2B Off The Clock” page on 15. They have a profile of Beth Mehlberth, Vice President of Edward Howard where she answers questions about all kinds of things, and one of the questions was “The best place for a business lunch?” and her answer is Coco’s Bistro.

We’re glad she thinks we’re the right answer. We hope you do too! Thanks Beth.

We were pleased to see a very nice review in this weeks Dayton City Paper- Feb 20-26,2008 on page 15.

Coco’s Bistro
An area favorite serving traditional dishes at reasonable prices
By Ella V. Adalois
Coco’s Bistro, located near the Oregon District, is an area favorite that has always received high marks for its visual impact. In fact, there are a few other places in town that have come later touting this Cocoesque dramatic décor. The dark grays, corals and ambers with coppery accents provide an inviting feeling that makes it one of the top romantic spots to dine. French framed artwork only adds to the feeling.
Recently I visited Coco’s after judging a 40+ entry dessert competition. Two pastry chefs and I stopped by for lunch after taste-testing a mountain of sweets. We were not tempted by Coco’s three-choice dessert tray, but a pleasant surprise – on my second visit – was the chocolate lava cake, warmed and dressed with homemade whip cream. This dish became a very sultry chocolate explosion. Don’t judge the desserts by the mock-ups on the dessert tray; they are much better coming out of executive chef Darin Mitchell’s kitchen. In addition, given the romance factor, I took my husband to Coco’s during Valentine’s week. We love the high ceilings, sconce lighting, and herbaceous room dividers. The only drawback was that one can occasionally hear the rush of Wayne Avenue traffic when seated with a back to the front window.
The waiters impressed us with countless little courtesies. In most upscale restaurants around town, servers pay attention to the details of making their customers comfortable. But I have to say that Steve and Tony must be members of the superlative servers club of Dayton. These gentlemen had an unbelievable polish with a special knack for good manners, tidiness and attentiveness. It felt a bit like a dance or as if we had stepped into some big city eating venue. No kidding, ask for these guys and you’ll receive astonishing service.
The menu is noteworthy for its reasonable prices of traditional dishes that are made with fresh ingredients then artfully plated. Coco’s serves glamorous ultra crisp fried brie ($9), topped with a confit of tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It is a bright spot in the hors d’oeuvres section, and an ample appetizer designed to be shared. Unfortunately the vege-tarian spring rolls tasted premade, but the sauces brought this dish up a notch.
Plum Spinach is a striking salad with caramelized plums, crumbled feta, and cinnamon sugar toasted pecans on a bed of baby spinach drizzled with pinot noir vinaigrette. Most dishes are offered at two prices and sizes as in the case of these meal salads. (Salads priced from $5 for lunch and $9 for dinner). The small house salad made of lovely field greens was topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, and chow mein noodles. While the Caesar salad was unremarkable, save the garlicky croutons, the dressings seemed homemade and there are other marvelous salad starters for future testing - Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Italian Vegetable Salad, and Blackened Chicken Salad.
One of the top picks in the seafood category was the Pasta Caprese ($17). It had sautéed shrimp, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella served over penne pasta tossed in roasted garlic oil, finished with chiffonade basil. It was served with garlic crostini and house salad. The Crab- cake Sandwich Griddle blue crab cake served on a toasted roll with shredded lettuce was a little heavy handed on the shaved onion and sweet chili sauce. They also serve a Pecan Tilapia in a beurre blanc. ($18)
For the Italian fare, Mushroom Raviolis (with - $15 or without - $13) has the option of a grilled chicken breast with caramelized red onions. The raviolis were tossed in a delicate roasted garlic cream sauce and finished with cheesy Fontina then served with a crostini. It’s an excellent choice. The Eggplant Parmesan ($12) was a little too heavily breaded for my taste, similar to the premade version. From the tomato bisque soup, to the Merlot marinara on the eggplant as well as the Spaghetti & Meatballs ($13), the sweetness could be dialed down a bit. The two large homemade meatballs were moist, well seasoned with familiar Italian herbs, served on a bed of al dente linguini, and finished with shaved Asiago and garlic crostini.
Look for spring updates to the menu with seasonal produce available. Coco’s is also planning an Easter brunch with some wine tastings over the next couple of months. Their wine list contains familiar offerings, but have enough variety to be interesting. The beer menu goes well beyond mass-market selections.
Coco’s Bistro is located at 515 Wayne Avenue. Prices range from $9 to $26. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Thursday dinner 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday dinner 5 to 11 p.m. Closed Sundays. For more information, call (937) 228–2626.
Reach DCP dining critic Ella V. Adalois at
contactus@daytoncitypaper.com

It’s time to make your reservations- we’ll have a special menu for a special brunch on Sunday, March 23rd from 10-2 at Coco’s in the Oregon District in Downtown Dayton.

Come enjoy our historic hip ambiance with your family. We had a wonderful time last year, and are looking forward to seeing all of you again.

Here is the menu:

Filet Mignon Eggs Benedict with Roasted Red Pepper Hollandaise - $16
Corned Beef Hash with Scrambled Eggs and Roasted Garlic Aioli - $14
Griddled Ham Steak with Honey Dijon Glaze - $15
Broccoli & Cheddar Frittata with Roasted Tomato Aioli - $14
Cinnamon-Sugar French Toast with Honey Pecan Butter - $12
Homemade Chicken & Biscuits with Apple Butter Drizzle - $15
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Herb Jus Lie - $ 15
All entrees served with a generous portion of our fresh home fried potatoes and fruit salad.

SALADS;
Waldorf Chicken Salad - $12
Asian Tuna Salad w/Szechuan Vinaigrette - $14

HECTOR’S MENU - $4
Scrambled Eggs & Fried Potatoes
Chicken Tenders & French Fries Cinnamon Sugar French Toast

Bloody Mary’s, Mimosa’s … Coffee, Juice, Wine & More … Join us at Coco’s for an Easter Brunch you will adore!

Revisit the Past
Dievole Viticulture dates back to the 11th Century. Join Coco’s and experience the enchanted historical valley.

Italian Wine Dinner
March 12, 7 pm

APPETIZER: Potato Gnocchi
SOUP: Tuscan Vegetable Soup w/Pasta
SALAD: Shrimp & Prosciutto
ENTREE: Veal Osso Bucco
DESSERT: Cinnamon & Peach Zeppole

5 Courses for $50 dollars
Make reservations now! Or register online.

We love Restaurant week because so many people come to Coco’s in the Oregon district for the first time.

Here is what was in the Dayton Daily News from readers:

Readers’ response to Restaurant Week robust
COCO’S BISTRO”Four of us went to Coco’s and the whole dining experience was wonderful. We sat down at the time of our reservation, the server was attentive and experienced, the food (tilapia, eggplant and beef tips and noodles) was very tasty, drinks and wine, bread and dessert. What else could you ask for? We love restaurant week and look forward to the next one in the summer. It’s a great week to try a new restaurant.”

— Jen

There is always something going on at Coco’s- please subscribe to our newsletter, or our RSS feed to keep up to date! We look forward to seeing you soon.