From left, Jamie Kennedy, Elayna Cook, Samantha Smith and Jamie Sullivan with the Mountain City Cafe rooster.In the parking lot of a quaint strip mall in Hixson stands a 12-foot tall bright pink plastic rooster.
"When we give directions we tell people to look for the giant pink rooster," Mountain City Café manager Jamie Kennedy says. The employees call it their mascot, welcoming customers as soon as they pull up outside.
The interior of the café is cabin-like with wood paneling, decorative cast-iron skillets and a working fireplace for chilly months. The comforting scent of a hot griddle welcomes guests as they enter. With its ambiance, it is no surprise that the rustic café specializes in country cooking. "How exactly would you describe country cooking?" I asked Jamie when we sat down over coffee. She appeared puzzled by the question and struggled to answer. I have learned that true Southerners never know how to answer that question. It is considered a lifestyle as much as a culinary practice. One thing is certain - home-style cooking means a commitment to fresh ingredients. "We pat our own hamburgers and cut our own chicken," Jamie explained.
"Nothing comes out of can," added new head cook Alejandro Milo.
Alejandro is adding extra flair to Mountain City Café's menu. Aside from traditional favorites like broccoli and cheese soup and open-faced turkey sandwiches, he has also added creative new recipes that are inspired by his Latin background but given a downhome twist.
For example, instead of serving his Cuban sandwich on traditional Cuban bread, it is served on buttery grilled Texas toast. "I call it the Texas-Cuban," he said, smiling.
Just then, a server carried past several platters of freshly baked dinners. There was a plate of thick-cut, golden-fried chicken fingers, crispy yet fall-apart tender at the same time. There was an open-faced smoked turkey sandwich smothered in buttery gravy, and the Bushfire Burger made with hand-patted beef topped with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and a spicy special sauce. There was also an array of sides like special greens made with cabbage and spinach, creamy mac and cheese, french fries, seasoned green beans, and two perfect scoops of mashed potatoes. A gaggle of waitresses followed the food.
Chicken fingers with corn and Mountain City greens from Mountain City Cafe."When we're done taking photos, ya'll can eat up," Jamie told her co-workers.
"Well that's why we're here!" one of them laughed.
The girls didn't waste any time. As soon as the photos were taken, they dug in.
"Watch this," server Jamie Sullivan said, grabbing a french fry and dipping it in the mashed potatoes.
"Potato on potato. Brilliant," she laughed.
That's the thing about country cooking. It is not meant to be described. It is meant to be enjoyed. Country cooking is about taking the time to appreciate the simple things in life - potato on potato, for example.
Speaking of brilliant...
"Oh my gosh! We should hold a customer contest to name the rooster out front," server Sam Smith said between bites.
So there you have it. The good folks at Mountain City Café invite you to stop by and submit a name for their beloved mascot. The winner will receive a free t-shirt and, of course, the honor of having bestowed the giant downhome country rooster with its name.