April 23, 2024

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A Burger A Week – Cha Cha Coconuts

St. Armands Circle is the setting for burger #49!

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Our burger pieces have mainly fallen into one of three distinct groups.

1️⃣ GROUP ONE (1)

This group is defined by the burger itself. They’re delicious, and where you’re eating it doesn’t matter as much. The burger here is the star of the show here. ⭐

Examples – Mouthole Smashburger’s, JRs Old Packinghouse, and Island House Tap & Grill

2️⃣ GROUP TWO (2)

The burgers in this category are really about where you’re eating them as much as anything. In a word, atmosphere. I’m not suggesting that these burgers are inferior to group one burgers. They’re not. It’s just that the location means a lot to the overall burger experience.

Examples – New Pass Grill, SKOB, and Duffy’s Tavern

3️⃣ GROUP THREE (3)

Group three is the best of both worlds. It’s a burger mashup. Great burger, great experience, and a great location. These places check all of the burger boxes. ✅

Examples – Meliora, The Hob Nob Drive-In, and The Mable

Our burger #49 probably leans a little more towards group two than either one or three.

St. Armands Circle Is a Destination. There’s shopping, there’s strolling, and yes, there’s food. The big dog on this block is The Columbia.

It’s been anchoring things out on St. Armands since 1967. Not an insignificant amount of time in restaurant years.

The Columbia has a sister out on “The Circle.” And it’s right next door. Cha Cha Coconuts has been serving up their style of island fare for almost 35 years. Again, no small feat in a hyper-competitive restaurant market. They must be doing something right. 👍

Like a lot of places out here, Cha Cha’s has a mix of seating.

They have some indoor tables (and bar seating).

And some outdoor al fresco-style seating.

They also like to show off their island flair.

Yes, as you would guess, there are mermaids for sale!

When you add all of these components up, it makes for a fun place to take a family. Or to rest your feet and grab a super casual meal after a day of shopping (that can be exhausting!).

Like SO MANY other spots in town, their menu features a “1905 Salad” variation. 📝 I guess of all of the places to have this on the menu, Cha Cha’s is the most natural fit.

Their version is The Tony Salad. It’s a mix of “iceberg and romaine lettuce, julienne of ham and Swiss cheese, tomatoes, olives, celery, onions, cucumbers, and a garlic Gorgonzola dressing.” It’s delicious and just different enough from its sister salad to be unique and stand on its own.

As much as I would love to sit here and compare 1905 Salad notes with you, we have a job to do.

Yes, they have a burger on their menu. As a matter of fact, they have four!

How about we get to this?! Let’s talk about our Cha Cha Coconuts burger experience…

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RESTAURANT: CHA CHA COCONUTS (417 St. Armands Cir. (941) 388-3300)

DATE OF VISIT: APRIL 11, 2024

STOP #: 49 OF 52

BURGER TASTED: DIVI DIVI BURGER

📒 OUR TASTING NOTES

🍔 This burger is served as listed on the menu: Topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and Swiss cheese. Served with lettuce, tomato, and a pickle spear ($16)

• This is a good size burger. It’ll be enough to satisfy any hungry burger eater.

• I love the fact that it comes deconstructed. It makes it a little easier to customize things to your own personal tastes. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t just want to eat it as it was originally intended. But just in case…

• This is a messy burger! You’re going to need some extra napkins. My server, Joe, anticipated this and brought reinforcements to the table at just the perfect time!

• Here’s where things get a little complicated. With all of the toppings on this burger, it didn’t have tons of flavor. I was surprised. The ingredients all worked together just fine. But it was just missing a little something. Maybe a squirt of mustard or some other type of acidic sauce to help push it over the top.

• 🍟 THE FRIES! These are a seasoned French fry. They were super crispy, and they served more than enough with the burger. They should definitely serve these with some of the Caribbean Rose Sauce that comes with the appetizer order of fries.

Let’s check out how all of this looked when I ordered it…

BURGER TAKEAWAYS: Cha Cha’s is a great stop for a family looking for a casual St. Armands lunch or dinner • It’s a super easy dining experience • There is something for everyone on Cha Cha’s menu • It’s “seat yourself” style dining. The service was perfect for this kind of place • I think the Hawaiian Burger is probably the better call here. I’ll grab that one on my next trip! 🍔

👀 SNEAK PEEK: 50, 51, and 52 left on the books. I think I may put the last three in a hat and draw for the final order. That makes about as much sense as anything, really!

~ LH

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We’ve got a few things for you to do in the next days, weeks, and months. Get out there and take advantage of what our Sarasota restaurant community has to offer! ⬇️ 

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