A new restaurant on the beach is bringing a combination of high-class dining, delectable handhelds, and a laid back atmosphere to the area. Coco Wood Grill just had its ribbon cutting at 17814 Gulf Boulevard in Redington Shores, and already the new spot is making waves.

Showcasing a Modern American cuisine, Coco Wood Grill has been an early hit with its updated take on gastro-classic dining. The restaurant has an elegant indoor dining room, along with covered outdoor seating. Their scratch-made menu, however, is what makes them a hit, with everything from poke nachos and soft shell crab tacos, to macadamia nut-crusted swordfish and petite filets topped with lump crab.

This new concept is the brainchild of the husband and wife team of Chris and Jennifer Lazorcheck, a duo with more than 25 years of experience as restaurateurs, caterers, and club and hotel managers. The couple has turned their passion for food into a labor of love with Coco Wood Grill, and the commitment to quality, experience and beloved family recipes is clearly shining through.

The duo has put together a concept that is at the same time upscale and laid back, building a warm and charming atmosphere, serving amazing dishes, and keeping the ethos of family-friendly beach life at the center. The full menu – heavy on seafood and beef – includes a long list of appetizers, half a dozen salad options, flat breads, handheld sandwiches and tacos, and a selection entrees featuring pasta, seafood, steak, fajitas, and even a vegetable lasagna.

Find classics (and martinis) with a twist at Coco Wood Grill

Coco Wood also has strong list of beer (including local favorites 3 Daughters Brewing) and wine, plus an excellent selection of craft cocktails, including three “Smoke Box Specialties” that offer cocktails smoked with various woods. There is also a full kids menu, as families are welcome.

What makes Coco Wood stand out, in addition to the well-prepared meals, is the creativity of the dishes. While there are plenty of standards, even those come with a twist, like the Fire & Ice Shrimp with wasabi-honey sauce and fresh squeezed lime over ice.

We certainly have our eye on the seafood enchiladas, featuring scallops, shrimp and spinach sautéed in a garlic white wine butter, with ricotta, mozzarella and shredded parmesan all rolled in a fresh pasta sheet and topped with a poblano cream sauce. Yum.

Coco Wood Grill also features a smoke ribeye French dip, tacos borracha, build your own burgers (patties made with chuck, brisket and short rib), Redington Pier Grouper, mussels, and oyster bella – six oysters topped with sauteed spinach, diced onion, diced sausage and a house cheese blend, finished with a hollandaise drizzle. Save room for dessert and their torched bread pudding.

And to make things even better: they have their own parking, a rarity on the beach. Though if it does fill up, there is also a public beach parking lot just one block down. Read more about Coco Wood Grill and check out the full menu at cocowoodgrill.com.

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