Mountain City Café is now helping students from Hixson High School fundraiser for athletic and scholastic groups every Tuesday evening.
"We started bringing in the students every Tuesday to wait the tables," says Brian McClure, who co-owns the popular Southern-style restaurant with Che Young.
"The kids were so polite and they made good money [for their program] waiting tables. It's so easy for people to just give them money for their programs and activities, but this way they are earning it and appreciate it more." Guests enjoy interacting with the young athletes, who put in 100 percent when serving the tables, boosting the energy in the restaurant, he adds.
This spring, Mountain City is celebrating its first anniversary by introducing additional seafood items. The menu features mahi mahi, ahi tuna, grouper, snapper, catfish, shrimp and even oysters when they are available. Every Friday and Saturday night, the restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat catfish or shrimp platter. Guests can choose between savory fried or healthier grilled preparation styles.
"I really feel like our seafood is going to be popular because it's fresh and it's not from a corporation," says McClure. "We bring it in weekly. Sometimes some things aren't available because they haven't been caught. We also still have our staple meat-and-three."
On the regular menu, Mountain City Café features a little bit of everything from sandwiches to hamburger steaks, meatloaf to chicken and dumplings. There is a healthy salad bar where guests can personalize a salad to eat with the restaurant's chili or soup of the day for $7.95. The soup of the day includes selections like vegetable, red beans and rice, chicken noodle and other homemade recipes.
"The only canned thing we have are our green beans, and even those we season up more," McClure says. "Everything else is made here. People are really eating healthier and we're conscious of that."
MOUNTAIN CITY CAFÉLOCATION: 6849 Prestige LanePHONE: 847-1163HOURS:Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Breakfast is still available every Saturday and Sunday morning. The a la carte menu is extremely popular and includes all the traditional favorites, from pancakes and biscuits to eggs any way guests want them.
Everything on the menu is available in to go orders; Mountain City Café also works with party hosts to cater on and offsite. The party room in the restaurant is large enough to hold events such as bridal showers or corporate luncheons. McClure says his kitchen can work from the menu or create a specialty menu for the event as needed.