New Caza Brava Mexican restaurant in Powell sets up as community gathering spot

Al Lesar
·3 min read

Nobody can sneak anything less than quality Mexican food past Cody Clearman.

A native of Texas who now lives in Powell with his wife, Kristen, and their infant son, Declan, Clearman has eaten at Caza Brava Mexican Restaurant (5640 Clinton Highway) four times in the first three weeks it was open.

“I know good Mexican,” Clearman said. “It’s almost like an addiction for me. This is good.”

That’s music to Javier Lopez’s ears. Along with his sister Monica Lopez, the 56-year-old native of central Mexico spent a year making everything just right for the opening in mid-October.

Cody Clearman, his wife Kristen, and son Declan are already regulars at Caza Brava.
Cody Clearman, his wife Kristen, and son Declan are already regulars at Caza Brava.

“I want this to be more than a restaurant,” Javier said. “I envision this being a Mexican plaza that will be a fun place to go for a drink, get something from the bakery, or have ice cream with the kids.”

There is seating for 160 inside. The outside patio is equipped with a bar and a back area that will be the space for the ice cream. Across the parking lot is an outdoor stage, where Javier plans to have live music surrounded by picnic tables.

Long journey to Caza Brava

When Javier came to Knoxville in 2002, it was the end of a long, long journey looking for the place that felt like home.

“I have moved 94 times in my life,” he said.

Some have been relatively short moves, some have been international. He said he’s lived in places like China, Japan, Thailand and Cuba before coming to the U.S. He came to East Tennessee from northeastern Indiana in 2002 looking for a lack of snow and a beautiful larger city.

“When I got off the plane to visit my cousins in Knoxville, I felt right at home,” he said.

“This isn’t the California lifestyle and it isn’t a small town. It just felt right here.”

Javier had relatives in the restaurant business in Knoxville that he joined for a while in an ownership capacity. He was part of Casa Don Gallo’s management team, then became involved with Cocoa Moon Fusion Grill.

Art from several Latin American countries is hung on the walls.
Art from several Latin American countries is hung on the walls.

When he saw the location and the opportunity at Caza Brava, he felt things fell into place.

“When I dreamed about what I wanted in a restaurant, this had everything,” he said.

Mexican food and 'fun' on Clinton Highway

The current location, just north of Merchant Drive on the east side of Clinton Highway, is on the north side of a hill, which can make it hard to find.

Outside view of Caza Brava.
Outside view of Caza Brava.

“This wasn’t a happening place before we took over,” Javier said. “With the work we’ve done, we want to change that. This is going to be more than just a place to come for a meal, it will be a meeting place with a fun atmosphere.”

Already, in the first couple weeks, a church group of 60 people surprised Javier and his staff. He said it was a seamless experience that gave him hope for the future.

Entrees range from $11-$12. Options range from typical Mexican fare to seafood dishes and wings. Beer is able to be served now, with an alcohol license in the works.

The bakery features an array of cheesecakes and chocolate volcano cakes that go well with ice cream. The ice cream area is still to be completed, as are renovations to the outdoor stage. Heating for the patio is also planned.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Caza Brava Mexican restaurant opens in Powell