Operating partner David Mitchell, left, and general manager Troy Tarr stand in a dining area at Terra Mae.• Name: TerraMae Appalachian Bistro
• Location: In the Stone Fort Inn, 120 E. 10th Street
• Owners: Mark Oldham and David Mitchell
• Size: 90-seat restaurant, plus patio, on the first floor of the Stone Fort Inn
• Staff: 30 employees
• Investment: $200,000 to renovate kitchen, entrance, eating areas
• Hours of operation: The new restaurant will debut Wednesday and initially will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, by reservation. Lunch hours should be added in early 2013.
• Restaurant story: McCallie graduate Mark Oldham of Nashville bought the 16-room Stone Fort Inn in June and decided to add a public restaurant on the first floor. David Mitchell, a former restaurateur in Houston and other cities, came to Chattanooga to prepare to hike the Appalachian Trail. But the 40-year-old fell in love with Chattanooga, moved his family here and agreed to help Oldham open the TerraMae (Portuguese for "Mother Earth") bistro featuring Appalachian dishes, along with specialties such as Alaskan Salmon. Troy Tarr, formerly of Chicago, is the general manager and Robert Stockwell, previously a chef in Houston, is the executive chef for TerraMae.
• Menu: Entrees on the initial menu include kingfish, filet mignon, pork loin, Tennessee whiskey-glazed short ribs, seared snapper and a trio of lamb, venison and elk. The restaurant features home-grown and local vegetables.
• Prices: Entrees on the current dinner menu range from $17 to $34. Lunch items, when added next year, will likely be priced from $13 to $18 per entree.
-- Compiled by Business Editor Dave Flessner who may be reached at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340