Country Coco is the latest restaurant to pop up in what I will now refer to as Edmonton’s “Korea Town.” Their menu features Korean Style Chicken and other shareable sides. Here’s a quick post to recap my first visit.
Country Coco is a little bit hidden as it’s located behind A-Mart. Inside, it’s very reminiscent of a scene set for street food – just look at those metal round tables. They do have a selection of beers and alcohol (soju included) too, so perfect for snacking and drinking.
During my first visit, I tried 3 dishes. The menu doesn’t have a huge variety to choose from aside from chicken – but this is expected since they brand themselves for Korean Style Chicken. You’ll find a few shareable side dishes, but not a ton compared to some of the neighboring restaurants. However, I was told they do plan to expand their menu eventually so keep an eye out for that.
Country Coco currently has two types of chicken on their menu:
- Charbroiled barbeque chicken: marinated bone-in charbroiled chicken served on a grill with rice cakes and roasted garlic
- Fried chicken: bone-in deep fried chicken (aka KFC!)
We ended up ordering 1 of each type, and a side of fries. More specifically, we tried the COCO Mild Fondue ($22), their charbroiled barbeque chicken served in their house-made spicy sauce on a bed of cheese.
Although the server mentioned the ‘mild’ would be quite spicy, I didn’t find it to be overbearing or anything at all. I would be willing to try the ‘Hot’ option next time.
I also really loved the rice cakes in this dish, they were so chewy but crisp at the same time. On the other hand, I feel the cheese wasn’t melted/cooked well enough because I couldn’t get a decent cheese pull and it hardened up quickly. Nonetheless, a bite of rice cake, cheese, and chicken together was pretty satisfying. I hope they add a separate cheese and crispy rice cake dish to the menu later on!
In terms of taste for the chicken, I personally preferred the fried over the charbroiled option. However, I will say that both options were tender and cooked well! I just liked the crispiness of the skin on their KFC much more. Super well seasoned and cooked.
We also tried the Single Combo ($14), which comes with 4 pieces of any kind of chicken (in this case, we chose soy), coleslaw, and french fries or joomuk bob (seasoned rice balls). This dish is the perfect sized portion.
My favourite part of the combo, aside from the chicken, was definitely the rice balls. I would consider ordering a full side order of these next time.
We also ordered a side of their French Fries ($5) with the sweet butter seasoning. Think honey butter french fries… I’m sure there are people who would love this but unfortunately, I found that sweet and savoury didn’t work for me this time.
Overall, I think Country Coco definitely has potential. The service was friendly, the meal was satisfying and filling, and I enjoyed my experience here. It’s definitely a good option if you’re in the mood for chicken but if you’re wanting more variety, you might find yourself better off going to another Korean restaurant next door.
Nonetheless, the staff did mention they would like to add some more items to the menu eventually, so I’m looking forward to that. In the meantime, I’d say it’s a spot worth checking out, especially if you want to have some chicken!
Country Coco
#2, 9261 34 Ave, Edmonton
Eat with Sharon 