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Just when my list of new Knoxville restaurant prospects was running dangerously low, I heard about Cocoa Moon on Market Square. The Latin-cuisine eatery had been open for about a year before closing for a few months and then recently reopening adjacent to Koi. In fact, I’m pretty sure the two restaurants are affiliated, as evidenced by the passageway connecting them as well as the fact that our receipt said “Koi” at the top.

The Grub Spouse, The Grub Sprout and I immediately took a liking to our surroundings, especially the row of booths along the north wall, consisting of bulky leather couches on each side of a large table, complete with throw pillows for both aesthetics and comfort. We literally could have taken naps in our booths, had we been so inclined (or reclined).

Otherwise, the seating consists of a bar area and a moderate number of tables on the main floor and furnishings that are elegant in their retro-modern simplicity. We also noted a prominent translucent wall of gradually shifting colored lights and metal wall sculptures on which arrays of small candles were mounted.

Although the appetizers are primarily chips and various kinds of dips, we were ready for immediate gratification and placed an order for spinach dip. The cheesy dip — served with those great, thin, Mexican-style tortilla chips — was not too thick or too thin, and it wasn’t too heavy on the spinach.

Several salads are on the menu, including the Tucan (with chicken or tuna salad), the Papagayo (with Mandarin oranges, blue cheese and walnuts) and the Caribe (with chicken, apples, pineapple, walnuts and raisins).

The restaurant’s dual Latin and Asian influences are more prominent on the lunch menu, where you can get quesadillas, Pollo Supremo and a spicy, stuffed, deep-fried pepper as well as Hong Kong-style chicken, teriyaki chicken and shrimp and stir-fry vegetables.

The dinner entrees are split among three sections. From the traditional fare, The Spouse ordered the fish tacos, which our server said had been quite popular lately. The Sprout skimmed over the fusion section, passing over the Palomino Pork Chop and the Steak Catalan in favor of the Asian-influenced Fiesta Del Mar — seasoned rice topped with grilled chicken, shrimp, scallops, mussels, green peas and diced carrots.

Another section — From Don Miguel’s Table — features Mexican entrees with a twist. I ordered the Especial Don Goyo based on its blend of chicken, chorizo, steak, shrimp, onions, peppers and cheese.

Our entrees were delivered one by one, and when mine arrived, I experienced immediate déjà vu. The meal was served sizzling in a fiery-hot volcanic bowl shielded by a protective wooden box and accompanied by tortillas. Where had I seen this before? At Casa Don Gallo on Northshore, several years ago. When I commented to that effect, our server noted that both restaurants share the same ownership.

Well, there you go. At least I knew I’d like my dinner, which I did. You can’t beat beef, chicken, sausage and shrimp all in one tasty package, now, can you? The Sprout’s seafood medley — served with a tower-shaped mountain of rice — was also likable, as were The Spouse’s fish tacos. But nothing we tasted that night seemed any more or less remarkable than any number of decent area Mexican-food restaurants.

But I would still recommend giving the place a tryout. The food has some interesting variety, and if nothing else, the great atmosphere and very accommodating service might make you go cuckoo for Cocoa Moon.

© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel
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