Dec 2

Dec 2 At Coco Lounge, All-Day Breakfast That's Good For The Soul | Restaurant Review

My fourth visit to Coco Lounge this year was for another reason outside of two business meetings and a friends' hangout. It was our five months wedding anniversary and one, which was not going to be ducking around the corner from my keen eye.

We barely made it to the restaurant before lunchtime which opens at 9am everyday. As we parked beneath one of the parking slots in the Stanbic Heights building, I couldn't help but cheer quietly about the desolate parking space. No need to go to the basement. One cheer for Farmers' Day Holiday, "Hurrah!"

I never cease to quietly appreciate the rustic, monochromatic interior every time I walk in. The astronomical feathery light shades gazed down on now-empty tables and counter tops. It was a quiet holiday morning with a smattering of eaters.

The menu for All-Day Breakfast is a simple one pager listing a Full English Breakfast, Tortilla's, Breakfast Pizza, Huevos Rancheros, Waakye, etc. Yes, you read that right. There's Waakye at Coco Lounge for the expat/tourist who's a bit shy/scared/unsure of buying roadside waakye like how we the locals do. But I wasn't here for the waakye. A Full English Breakfast if you please. Make that two. The waiter must have a sponge-like memory because he didn't write anything down. We had to order drinks outside of this menu. Make that Two fresh orange juices, an Earl Grey tea and a Double Espresso. I found it interesting that you can either choose fresh orange juice at GHC4 or have an imported orange juice at GHC20. 🤔

The window view of Airport One Square from my seat looks much more attractive at night than during the day. The night masks the ugliness of discarded pure water satchets strewn across the street side gardens but lovingly displays bright lights from the opposite edifices.

The fresh orange juice was profoundly disappointing. You know it’s fresh but somehow the flavor is slightly rancid. I have tasted better at other more accessible places in the city.

The Earl Grey tea was a warming win but was poured too early by the waiter as it came out more light-colored than what a Black Tea was supposed to look like.

Steeping tea for a longer period brings out its remarkable flavor and that was my expectation, which was rewarded after I was ready for my second cup.

As the waitress lowered my plate, I looked down at an arrangement of several things going on: Two sausages, one black pudding, three baguette slices, crispy yet wizened bacon, sautéed tomatoes, fried egg, a slice of butter and a mini-cup of baked beans. My husband doesnt have a thing for eggs so he passed it up as well as the Black Pudding ( it didn’t sound right, he said) and I took up all of his vulnerabilities. That’s four eggs, right? But it didn’t look like that on the plate and also I was missing a second black pudding. Oh well.

The sausages were first-rate delicious! An external mildly-crispy chew with a rich meaty texture and flavor. This was certainly no tinned sausage. Dark mushrooms sautéed to a light pleasant flavor balanced well with the sausages. The bacon could have been much better looking and less crispy for the flavor to be experienced.

The ambiance of alternative music, metallic artwork, a geometrical bourgeois counter bar, friendly staff, gives this restaurant a worthy place to celebrate quiet breakfast moments on your own, with a partner or with a small group of colleagues.

But seriously though, who doesn't love an all-day breakfast restaurant? Breakfast should always be KING but at a more accessible cost.

What we paid for the Full English Breakfast without the forgettable orange juice and tea was GHC90. It was a delightful meal, service was friendly and informed and they accept VISA incase you run out of cash at the last minute.

It would really be good for restaurants in Ghana to present their foods in a more Instagram-worthy style. Foodies are always looking for incredible food styled photos to add to their feed.

Have you been to Coco Lounge yet? What was your experience like? Do share in the comments below.