Mountain City Tile owner Brian McClure had always dreamed of opening a restaurant, a dream he fulfilled in late February with the opening of Mountain City Café in Middle Valley.
Mountain City Café chef Tracy Bennett’s specialty is his lightly breaded fried shrimp. From left are employee Jamie Kennedy, Bennett and employee Samantha Smith.Inspired by restaurants McClure had visited in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Mountain City Café blends the charm of a mountain town eatery with the wholesome feel of a family-friendly Sunday lunch spot.
He said cook Tracy Bennett, who holds a culinary degree from Johnson and Wales and is well-known in the area from the kitchens of other local restaurants, was his first choice in running Mountain City.
“I don’t rely on [knowledge from culinary school] too much,” said Bennett. “I cook like I eat at home.”
“I believe he could cook an old boot if he could marinate it,” said McClure.