Exciting Menu Changes at Chismoso Redefine Latin Cuisine in Knoxville

Exciting Menu Changes at Chismoso in Knoxville

Knoxville is buzzing with excitement about Chismoso, the Latin eatery located at 131 South Gay Street. Since its opening in May 2024, the restaurant has seen a steady evolution, largely thanks to the new talented chefs on board. Recently, co-owner and manager Corbin Azambuja shared his enthusiasm about the restaurant’s growth and the new direction they are taking with their culinary offerings.

A New Culinary Team

Chismoso has welcomed two prominent chefs to its kitchen: Chef Will Stagg and Chef Mauro Chavez. Chef Stagg has been instrumental in designing the restaurant’s new menu, and he was thrilled to have Chef Chavez join him. Chef Chavez previously worked at the well-known J.C. Holdway as chef-de-cuisine for seven years. Their collaboration, which initially grew through pop-up events, has now blossomed into a full-time partnership. The duo aims to take Latin cuisine further than traditional staples, aiming to redefine what people can expect from this popular culinary style.

A Taste of the New Menu

Urban Woman and I recently visited the restaurant to check out the new menu. Corbin emphasized their goal of pushing Latin cuisine beyond typical dishes like chips and queso and fajitas. However, we couldn’t resist starting with the chips and queso, and Urban Woman declared it the best she’d ever tasted.

Next, we decided to get a bit more adventurous. Our first dish was the Mountain Roots Blistered Shishito Peppers, served with cilantro, garlic chili crunch, cotija, and pork rind dust. I’ll confess, this was my favorite dish of the evening! It was delightfully flavorful without being overwhelmingly spicy.

Accompanying that were the Myers Brother’s Farm Grilled Zucchini, featuring elote mushrooms, crispy leeks, yellow squash, salsa macha, and squash blossom butter. This dish was indeed a highlight for Urban Woman, who enjoyed the fresh flavors. Personally, I couldn’t get enough of the mushrooms.

We also sampled a Spencer Mountain Tomato Salad, made with shaved green tomatoes, cilantro, toasted seeds, and cholula ranch. It was light and refreshing, serving as a perfect prelude to our main course.

The Main Event

For the main dish, we ordered the Chicken Enchilada Stack. This dish was more than satisfying, made with house tortillas, jack cheese, red sauce, lime crema, lettuce, red onion, radish, cilantro, avocado, jalapeno, and queso fresco. Even as we shared our meals, the portion size was generous. Urban Woman also rated this dish highly and pointed out that it had plenty of veggies mixed within the layers.

Local Ingredients Focus

Both chefs pride themselves on sourcing local ingredients, particularly the fresh vegetables that reflect the seasonal produce available at the moment. Chef Will noted that the tomato salad is a joint creation of theirs, highlighting the quality tomatoes from Spencer Mountain Farms.

Chef Mauro, originally from Mexico, expressed that their current offerings are a culmination of their experiences from earlier pop-up projects. He mentioned that his father is Peruvian, which greatly influences his dishes. The creative direction they are taking aims to expand the traditional perceptions of Mexican and Latin cuisine.

Looking Ahead

As we wrapped up our meal, the chefs shared their excitement about the future of Chismoso. They plan on continuing to innovate in the kitchen, with a commitment to introducing more small plates featuring local vegetables combined with Latin spices. They want diners to explore more than just the expected “rice and beans” associated with traditional Latin food, as they believe there are countless other flavors to discover.

With their new menu and an eye toward the future, Chismoso is becoming a must-visit spot in Knoxville. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Friday and Saturday from 4:00 PM through midnight. If you’re eager to experience their exciting dishes, it’s worth making a visit soon!