Sweet and Spicy at Thaicoon

Fine wood surfaces, soft lighting, a fresh polished appearance and soft instrumental music create a relaxed atmosphere at . This is not the fanciest restaurant on the square; however the reasonably priced lunch specials, which include sushi and dishes such as salmon teriyaki, pad see-u, panang curry and pad Thai, are a big draw.

There are elegantly dressed tables for dining as well as seating at the counter where customers can watch sushi chefs at work.

Service: The service is fast and friendly. My water was never below the halfway mark. However, I'd expect the service to be slow on the weekend given the restaurant's location on the square.

Salad: The green salad, which came with my entree, was a simple mix of greens and carrots. The ginger dressing was not the best. It was watery and had a potent and unpleasing after taste. The ginger salad is available separately for $2.25.

Entrees: The sushi-sashimi and chicken teriyaki with a California roll, four pieces of sashimi and chicken teriyaki is a great deal off the Japanese lunch menu. The chicken teriyaki was unique; it did not have the traditional taste you find at most Japanese restaurants. It was on the sweet side with an underlying spicy zest. The tasty, tender chicken was served with an assortment of crunchy vegetables, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms.

The fish was sweet and light, and beautifully presented. The California roll is a cooked sushi roll with crab, avocado and cucumber. Each bite of this roll was an explosion of taste. With a satisfying, crisp exterior and a soft, flavorful interior, there was no taste out of place. This is a perfect side to almost any meal on the menu.

This lunch special is $8.95. The California roll can be ordered at dinner for $4.95. The chicken teriyaki can be ordered for dinner for $12.95. Sushi plates can be ordered as dinner entrees starting at $14.95.

The pad prik, sauteed choice of tofu, beef, chicken or pork with bell pepper, bamboo shoots, carrots, onions, scallions and chili sauce, is $7.95 off the Thai lunch special menu. The beef was tough and chewy—not exactly what I look for in my meat. However, the sauce was pleasingly spicy and perfectly offset with well-cooked white rice.

Bottom Line: Thaicoon serves a variety of quality Thai and Japanese food at affordable prices (as long as you don't eat there every day).

Hours: Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. for dinner.

Location: 34 Mill St. NE, Marietta

Phone: 678-766-0641