Five Cousins Pollo a la Brasa stands out among Latin-cuisine restaurants | Grub Scout
The Grub Spouse and I took the elder Grub Sprout to dinner with us last week. It worked out well, considering he lives in the general neighborhood of our intended destination, Five Cousins Pollo a la Brasa on Merchant Drive. Coincidentally, I noticed upon our arrival that the restaurant operates out of the space formerly occupied by Vincent Café’s Phó House, a place I reviewed a few years back – with The Grub Sprout, no less.
This time around, Latino cuisine was on the bill. A proprietor invited us to take the seat of our choice, where we spent a few minutes perusing a colorful tri-fold brochure menu. As the name of the restaurant suggests, chicken (pollo) is the main specialty. In fact, its rotisserie oven had quite a few birds spinning at once. They marinate and charcoal-roast their chickens and serve them whole as well as in half and quarter portions.
The La Brasa Special comes with three large sides, salad and corn tortillas, while the 5 Cousins Special accommodates 10 or more guests with four whole chickens, sides and tortillas. The Sprout ordered a quarter-chicken ($11) and picked brown rice and fries as his sides.
The Spouse and I ordered from the Carnes section of the menu, which features dishes like carne asada and marinated beef bones cooked on the grill. I ordered the costilla de cerdo en salsa verde (pork ribs in green sauce), while The Spouse got the carne ranchera – flat steak cooked in ranchera sauce. Each item cost $11.99. I went with black beans and fries as my sides; The Spouse chose brown rice and black beans. All our orders included corn tortillas and salad.
Another item of note is the Super Parrillada (barbecue). This feast costs $34.99 and includes carne asada, beef ribs, chicken, a hot dog, eggs, fries, beans, rice, chile toreado and tortillas. Beyond that, dishes like chicken soup and side items like pinto beans, steamed rice and a la carte tortillas round out the menu.
The menu advertises the cuisine as being “delicious and fast.” Our orders were delivered to our table after what seemed to be an average interval of waiting, but we were in general agreement with the delicious part of the equation. The Sprout’s roasted chicken quarter was tender, juicy and flavorful, while my pork ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and benefitted from the salsa verde. The Spouse’s two cuts of steak were thin but packed a punch thanks to the ranchera sauce.
I also thought favorably of the sides. The black beans, brown rice and fries were decent enough, but surprisingly, the salads were a standout. The dressing was subtle, but the vegetable toppings and avocado slices really made this dish. The soft corn tortillas weren’t served as warm as I would have preferred, but the flavor was distinct. My main criticism of the experience is that they had only plastic silverware, which made it hard to cut the meats.
As for the setting, it hadn’t changed much since my previous visit to Phó House, but I’ve always liked that space. It’s an intimate little L-shaped dining room that I find inviting and comfortable. And speaking of inviting, our interactions with the staff were solid. Our contact person was very friendly and assisted us in navigating what was what on the menu. When it was time for us to box up our abundant leftovers, he was on the spot with to-go containers and bags.
There are a lot of Latin-cuisine options along that one short stretch of Merchant Drive, but in my opinion, Five Cousins stands out with its authenticity, accommodating staff and budget-friendly prices. Our tab totaled a little over $50, and that included three entrees, (each with two sides, salads and tortillas) plus a Mexican Coke for The Sprout, taxes and tip.
They’ve been open only a couple of months, so if you’re looking to try a new contender on the Latin-food scene, you might find this one to be worth it.
Five Cousins Pollo a la Brasa
Food: 4 out of 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3.75
Overall: 4
Address: 815 Merchant Drive
Phone: 865-347-2556
No alcohol service
Department of Health score: 100
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays
This new Latin-cuisine eatery on Merchant Drive specializes in roasted chicken and delivers the goods with authentic cuisine and competitive pricing.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville restaurant review: Five Cousins Pollo a la Brasa stands out
