Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant and Bar -- 4/5

Last weekend, a bunch (5) of us had plans to take our friend out to this cool-sounding Cajun place for her 20th birthday. Of course, we only found out that afternoon that it was closed for renovations. I'd passed Coconuts plenty of times walking around Palo Alto, and the bright colors promising Caribbean nostalgia and flavorful food always looked inviting, so I suggested it as an alternative, and we went for it.

1. Food -- 5/5 They serve you family-style, which I love. My biggest problem with going to restaurants, especially alone or with only one other person, is how difficult it almost always is to choose just one menu item! We started with the AMAZING sweet potato fries and a caesar salad (to attempt to ease a little bit of the guilt of our rich entrees), and then split: curried chicken with steamed rice, boneless jerk pork with curried sweet potatoes and root vegetables, and shrimp creole. The curried chicken won best overall; the pork was delicious and tender but fattier than I would've liked; I only got to have one shrimp, because it was a kind of small dish for the five of us to split, so I don't really feel qualified to comment on it. We were way too full of delicious food by the time the dessert menus came out, but maybe next time!
2. Service -- 3/5 When we arrived, the hostess was on the phone with someone who was apparently being really picky about ordering and insisted on having most of the menu read to him/her. You could tell she was losing her patience (though honestly, I don't blame her), but luckily the person seemed satisfied and hung up before she could blow a gasket. She recovered quickly and was very sweet to us. It took a long time for them to come take our order, and we were really hungry by the time it arrived. At the end of the night, our server didn't really understand how we wanted to split the bill between our cards and seriously overcharged one of my friends, so we had to re-do it. She was very sweet and patient with us, though, and everything worked out in the end.
3. Price -- 4/5 We each ended up paying about $18 to split two appetizers and three entrées, which is pretty damn good for Palo Alto. Most entrées run $12-20, and apps are about $7-10. Reasonable prices for a special occasion/night out with friends. BONUS! Get 10% off if you show your Stanford ID.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 About a block and a half south of University Avenue -- quieter neighborhood, which facilitates easier parking and less hazardous sidewalk navigation. Indoor or covered patio seating available. Has serious potential as a mood-booster in the winter months, what with all those bold colors and painted palm trees. Deliberately and delightfully tacky.
5. Good for... going out with friends and celebrating in pseudo-Caribbean fashion, of course!

Can't wait for an excuse to go back and try the crab pasta and the sweet potato pudding. Yeah mon.