Lauren L.
Yelp
I am so happy COA is back up and running again!!! From what the servers were telling me, they closed the restaurant down until 2 nights ago. We ended up getting reservations on their opening night, and we are so glad we did. They made some changes to the menu, and they also added Gary (the sommelier) which added to an already unforgettable experience. Even though it was their first night open with the potential for so much to go wrong, the service was excellent, food was fantastic, and they ran as if they had been open for decades. Their attention to detail was astounding. Plus, the view is incredible...opt for an outdoor table if you are up for it.
As far as the food, we ordered the tartare for an appetizer, A5 Wagyu New York strip and Hawaiian ahi tuna for our meals, and a chocolate coconut dish for dessert. Gary came over after we decided what we were going to eat and recommended the most perfect wine to pair with our meal. With each sip, the meal was elevated as the wine complemented the Wagyu perfectly. If you eat here, ask for Gary! You can tell that he loves what he does and has a true passion for wine and people pleasing. He checked on us multiple times throughout our meal and gave us fun facts about wine! He was truly a delight!
As far as the food...we do not have one complaint. We started our meal with an amuse bouche, which was a potato foam with vinegar. I know that sounds strange, but if I could eat a whole bowl of this, I would! The vinegar added a salty and tangy edge to the potato flavoring, which was truly a delight.
The beef tenderloin tartare was perfect. All of the flavors blended beautifully and had a little bit of a pleasant spicy kick to it. I love beef tartare, but this may have been the best one we have ever tried.
The ahi tuna was beautifully done. It was extremely fresh and came with the most splendid sauce--almost like a light buttery lemon sauce. This is a meal we would definitely order again.
Now, as for the A5 Wagyu...this was on a whole different level. A true league of its own. We had never tried A5 Wagyu before, so we did not really know what to expect but we were totally blown away. If you are on the fence--definitely get this. Worth every cent. It was cooked perfectly (compliments to the chef) and it was truly an unbelievable experience. Each bite kept getting better, especially with the wine enhancing the flavors of the beef.
For dessert, we tried a chocolate coconut dish. We are unsure of the official name, once we took a bite of it, we pretty much forgot our names. It was the perfect sweet treat to top off an amazing meal. No matter how full you are, don't skimp on the dessert!
If I could give one piece of advice--go "all out" at COA and have no limitations for a truly memorable experience. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip.