Cocos Asian Sesame Dressing

Coco’s has brought back the dressing with a very important caveat. Please see comments below for more information.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 CU Sunflower or canola oil
• 1/4 CU minced onion
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/4 CU Rice vinegar
• 2 TBL Balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 CU Soy sauce
• 1/4 CU orange juice
• 2 TBL Sesame oil
• 1/4 CU Corn syrup (Karo)
• 1 TBL Molasses
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 1 TBL Almonds (pulverized)
• 1 tsp white pepper

STEP BY STEP

1. Put canola oil in small pan
2. Add chili flakes and minced onion when oil is still cool
3. Heat slowly to 250 degrees, and cook for 10 minutes
4. Remove from heat and set aside to cool somewhat.
5. In second pot pour vinegars, soy, and orange juice
6. Drizzle in sesame oil slowly while whisking
7. Slowly (and carefully) pour hot oil through a METAL strainer into second pot containing vinegars, soy, etc
8. Carefully discard solids remaining in strainer
9. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until all is combined
10. Add corn syrup and bring up to 250-270 degrees.
11. Cool before putting into a pourable bottle

GRANDPA’S NOTE

We moved to Spain from Phoenix in 2008, and stayed for two years. One of the things that I brought with me was three bottles of Coco’s Asian Sesame Dressing. As I was down to my last bottle, I’ve prepared this Copy Cat recipe that I’d like feedback on, and any improvements offered would be appreciated.

UPDATE FROM GRANDPA

May 2016 – I’ve been following this chain with interest. It seems that Coco’s Asian Dressing has many fans. For awhile, I was able to find the bottled dressing here in Phoenix, but that too has disappeared. I’ve contacted the Coco’s Marketing Department with these two questions: (1) Is the dressing EVER going to be available again, and (2) is the Asian Chicken Salad being removed from the menu altogether. Hopefully they will do me the courtesy of returning my message. I will pass that information on to all of you.

Meanwhile, I’ve done a bit of research on my own.  It seems that Catalina Restaurant Group, as of April 2015, is under new ownership.   San Antonio-based Food Management Partners (FMP) acquired the Catalina Restaurant Group, parent of the family-dining concepts Coco’s and Carrows, last month, and expressed optimism about both brands.  FMP promised the same quality food as we have enjoyed for years.  Within a month after acquisition they started eliminating positions and closing about 70 restaurants doing business under the name Cocos and Carrows.  They promise that shedding the under-performing stores will allow them to strengthen the remaining profitable locations.

In May 2016 the Corporate office in Irvine California was also closed.  Other locations have extended their hours from 11 pm until 2 am.  It seems that in the remaining locations the prices are going up, and the menus are becoming a bit more of the upper crust rather than a neighborhood restaurant.  I’ve called several restaurants and they have informed me that the bottles are not for sale, and never will be, but all of them have said that the Asian Chicken Salad will remain as a menu item.

It sounds as if this delectable item is on its way out.  At this point, please use this blog to improving my copy cat recipe (above) and letting us know if ever you find a location that is selling the bottled dressing.  Maybe between all of us, we can clear out their warehouse.

Please eMail comments to me directly at RobtAndr@gMail.com as the G.D. hackers have forced me to disable comments. – Thanks for your passionate replies.

By request: here are photos of the front and back of the bottle, nutritional information, and the ingredients sticker.  Click a photo for an enlargement.  It is very important to make sure that the oil is fully emulsified*, or the dressing will separate.

* To emulsify an oil into a liquid requires constant whisking of the liquid as the oil is VERY SLOWLY drizzled into the liquid.

Comments sent to RobtAndr@gMail.com

April 13, 2020

I worked at Coco’s before they closed my store. The managers do not know who makes the Asian dressing. It comes in gallon containers from a restaurant supply prepackaged with Coco’s name on it. I do know that they purchased some of the dressings from Ken’s Steakhouse, because when we ran out we got it from them. Have you tried that brand? Also the bottles they packaged it in for resale are identical to Kraft bottles.  Even though CoCo’s does not sell the bottle of dressing any longer, they will sell you a to-go container of it.  

The ingredient that is unusual in the dressing is the paprika. Ken’s Pan Asian Dressing has paprika which the kraft version doesn’t contain.

CoCo’s was owned by a Japanese company  Zensho Co., Ltd.,  (Wiki Info to the left, corporate link HERE.) before the new owners Food Management Partners came in and closed the stores.   It is now owned by Shari’s Cafe & Pies  (Wiki Info to the left, corporate link HERE.)

Diane Mathison

31 thoughts on “Cocos Asian Sesame Dressing” that came through before comments were closed.

1. I am going to have to try your recipe. But I really think Coco’s should sell it online. I love the stuff!

2. I love the coco’s dressing as well. My daughter and I actually went to buy some last night and the waitress said that they didn’t buy it anymore. I was so sad! She said they stopped selling it because people were only buying the dressing and not the salad. So I checked the website for a copycat dressing and found this one. so my questions to the wonderful person who made up this dressing how was this dressing compared to coco’s dressing. I’m a seasoned cook so it sounds like it would work but how was it for you. similar and a little off? I would love to try it but just wondering what your thoughts of your own recipe were.

   1. It is a “fair” substitute. Not exact, but good. There is something that is missing, but I’ve not put my finger on it. This is definitely worth a try though.

   2. Geiselle, I guess the outcry was heard by Corporate. They are now selling the dressing again. I buy the dressing, but when I go to Coco’s I still get this salad. It hasn’t slowed down my purchase one bit. Grandpa

      1. Robert,
         I just returned from a trip to Phoenix. I attempted to buy some last week but was told they no longer are selling it. His words “we haven’t sold that in ages”. So please, where did you find it?
         Thank you in advance.

         1. I bought mine at Coco’s at 7th Street and Palm Lane. I didn’t have a problem.

3. I just saw your recipe. I will give a try. This salad dressing is loved by both my husband and sister. I went to buy some at Coco’s the other day, they told me they no longer sold it. Thank you Mary G.

   1. The same thing happened to me. Why would they no longer sell a product that many people obviously love? Raise the price: Maybe, but stop selling it. Com’on Coco’s are you in it just for the money or to make people deliciously happy as well.

4. Coco’s brought their Asian salad dressing back! You can now buy the bottles at the restaurant.

5. Three Cheers to Coco’s for listening to their consumers. Buying the dressing from Coco’s didn’t reduce the number of times that I went to the restaurant, but it allowed me to enjoy (and think of) Coco’s every time I used their dressing. Lisa… This is GREAT news.
   Grandpa.

6. The dressing is back at Coco´s. I use to buy the same at Restaurant Depot as Oriental Dressing with the brands “Our Family Recipe” by the gallon, but there’s not anymore. Does anybody know something similar?
   Best Regards

   1. The Coco’s dressing is under $4 a bottle, so for the little amount that I use, that works great for me. Don’t know about Our Family Recipe though. Did a quick Google search and came up blank.

7. That recipe looks TOO complicated, with elements that would make it VERY expensive. I will look for another brand that is similar.

   • This recipe was needed once upon a time. Coco’s has seen the error of their ways though and is once again selling their sesame dressing at less than it costs for us to make it. I LOVE this dressing though and used it a lot, so it was worth the extra money for me to make it myself. Thanks for your feedback.

     • Where have you found an open Cocos. All in our area have closed

       • There is one at 7th Street and Palm Lane here in Phoenix.

8. I just went to my local Coco’s in Los Angeles and was told they are not selling their dressing. Buuuummmmmmeeerrrr!!!!!!!

9. I too have just tried at 5-6 Coco’s in the San Diego area to buy the Asian dressing and am told they are no longer making it. The restaurant can’t even get more of it for their in-store salads. I take that to mean it won’t even be on the menu. I agree with an earlier comment that if you’ve got a product that sells and people love it, for Heaven’s sake keep it available to consumers. (Marketing 101.) Whether they sell it on the salad or in a bottle, wouldn’t they still make money? And wouldn’t people eat there when they go in to buy the dressing? I would. Raise the price if you need to if people truly want it and it’s the only source Coco’s could really profit. Coco’s, if you read this, PLEASE BRING IT BACK!

10. I invited a friend over on Saturday for lunch and I offered to make my version of Coco’s Asian Chicken salad – and have since been told the dressing isn’t available. Apparently, the company that made it went out of business so Coco’s found another supplier but they are still working on refining the recipe. I will have to try your recipe since I opened my mouth before I knew if I had any dressing! Wish me luck (don’t know what pulverized almonds are or where to find them).

11. Is there any update…. Is the dressing available in bottles. or not…At one time last year, the store clerk (manager?) said they would sell it if I brought in a bottle for them to fill… don’t know if this is still in effect or not.

    • Jim, I was at Coco’s two weeks ago. The Oriental Chicken Salad was back on the menu. The dressing TASTED similar, but the sesame oil was not completely emulsified and overall it was a bit of a disappointment. I know that there IS a replacement currently, but it is not as good as the original. To answer your question: Refilling a bottle would probably be on a store-by-store basis. Please let us know what you find.

12. I love Coco’s Asian Chicken dressing and was sad that I could not buy the bottles anymore. But I have found a substitute, Togo’s Asian chicken salad Dressing is very close (it has been so long, but it got that same kick). I would love someone to try it and tell me their thoughts.

    • Sherry, I am moving your comment to the top of the page. It is funny, but on my site, I have about 1600 of my recipes – and the Coco’s Asian Dressing has generated twenty times more comments and traffic than any other recipe. Why in the world did they stop producing such a great product? I’ll try Togo’s and let you know what I think – and will encourage others to give feedback as well. Robert (Grandpa) Andrews

13. This message sent January 26 to Coco’s HQ: I am a regular customer here in Phoenix, and I loved the Asian Chicken Salad. I am a chef – and there is a lamentation heard across the world. NO DRESSING ?!?  Please bring back the dressing. There is no contender. Robert “Grandpa” Andrews – http://www.GrandpaCooks.com

14. Important Update: The dressing has been discontinued. The restaurant has a replacement (that is not very good.) A comment from Sherry Leger suggests a substitute and asks our feedback. This warrants its own page. PLEASE CLICK HERE to read about Togo’s Asian Chicken Salad Dressing.

15. I heard from Coco’s Corporate. Here is their reply:

    Dear Robert:

    We received your message about the Coco’s Spicy Asian Dressing return and yes, the dressing is back in the restaurants. So you can frequent your closest Coco’s to get Coco’s Asian Salad and this month’s promotion we feature the Thai Chicken Salad with noodles and lettuce that you may also like. We don’t currently sell it retail but you can ask the restaurant for a 16 oz to-go container and they can sell you that until we sell it retail. Thank you for your interest in this great product.

    Susan Sullivan
    Operations Assistant
    Food Management Partners
    Email ssullivan@foodmps.com

16. A note to Susan Sullivan,

    FYI…
    I got the Asian Chicken Salad at Cocos at 2026 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85006. The dressing had separated. I’ve never had that happen before. Ever. And I’ve ordered it at least a dozen times. If you are using a different manufacturer, they need to address this issue.
    I’ve only ordered it once since the change but I wanted to let you know.
    PS:
    Thanks for bringing it back.

    Susan’s Reply:

    Thank you for that information, I heard about it like in November but it was fixed so let me follow up on that right away and thank you for letting me know – as you know we want this product to be perfect since it’s such a signature of Coco’s.

17. If someone still has a bottle of the dressing from Coco’s, could you please list the ingredients as stated on the bottle?

    • Julie, I still have a bottle. I will post a photo above the comments. When they were going to stop carrying it, I bought ten bottles of the stuff. I am down to my last bottle. 🙁 PLEASE COCO’S – BRING THIS ITEM BACK !!!!

    • Julie, I’ve posted the photos. Please let me know what tweaks you make to my recipe. Thanks! Grandpa.

18. Thanks so much for posting a picture of the ingredients. I didn’t realize there was so much “junk” in it, but it’s still the best, and I’m disappointed I can’t buy it anywhere. I haven’t tried your recipe yet, but I will soon, and I’ll let you know what I think. I will also try Sherry’s suggestion of Togo’s Asian dressing, and I’ll let you know what I think of that one, also. Thanks again.