A hidden Knoxville gem. To me at least.
If you're ever in Knoxville, be sure to stop by Cocoa Moon. I never would have thought I'd promote Asian Fusion food, but this was unbelievable. I ate a pork chop (what?) with a side of mac and cheese and the most delicious mashed potatoes I've ever eaten.
And the bar looked like the kind of place you would see Ryan Gosling slow motion walking through (Crazy, Stupid, Love, anyone?)
The Breakdown:
- The pork chop: Overall, the pork chop was a little above average. It had a great taste, but it wasn't juicy or all that tender. The bottom was slightly charred, but hey, who doesn't like a little crispiness?
- The mac and cheese: I used to be the kind of person who could only eat Kraft Mac & Cheese, so I've come a long way. That being said, my parents just informed me that I used to gag even when I ate Kraft when I was little. So there's that... Anyway, the mac and cheese was delicious and cheesy. Nothing more needs to be said.
- The mashed potatoes: YUM. So much yum. They were salty, smooth, and full of flavor.
The only downside?
The wait. My friends and I went to the restaurant the night after the University of Missouri vs. University of Tennessee football game, so downtown was incredibly crowded. The first restaurant we tried was a three hour wait, and this one was only 25 minutes. Score. They definitely tricked us though. We did our waiting once we sat down. It took an hour and a half for us to get our food. It was to the point where people were starting to gnaw pieces off the table. That being said, it's possible the food wasn't that great. We probably would have been okay eating a bunch of saltine crackers.
Fun fact: After reading the article this picture came from, I learned that:
"In actuality, without these holes, crackers wouldn’t bake correctly. These holes allow steam to escape during cooking. This keeps the crackers flat, instead of rising a bit like a normal biscuit as the steam tries to escape; these holes also help to properly crisp the crackers... Read more at http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/10/why-crackers-have-holes/#WEgFRBJWI4DgOyuO.99"
Thanks, todayifoundout.com!
