Once again a forum member has recommended a restaurant that we enjoyed. This one is the Wildflower Cafe & Country Store located at 6007 Alabama Highway 117 in Mentone, Ala., on Lookout Mountain. It is an approximate hour drive from Chattanooga.
The cafe appears to have been a house at some point in the past. It is divided into rooms such as a house would be. One room is very small and has only one table-for-two filling it. Across the front are quite a few tables in a glassed-in area that could have been a sun room (of course, this is all conjecture on my part).
The owners are L.C. Moon, a herbalist whose husband, Ben Keener, is the chef behind the menu. It’s a very laid-back experience. No one is in a hurry and you needn’t be either. I loved the “feel” of the outside – shade trees, wild flowers, birds singing . . .
We drove there on a Sunday afternoon and ordered from the Sunday Lunch & Brunch Menu. For starters, you MUST try the Sweet Potato Biscuits ($1 each or four for $3). Since I don’t eat bread, but I really wanted to try these, I ordered one. I did think $1 for one was a bit pricey since they are rather small. Wayne does not like sweet potatoes, so he refused to even try it. This biscuit was wonderful – I loved it. In fact, I was possessed to order the dozen frozen for $7.99 to take home (which makes the price a lot less). That way I can prepare one at a time – bake as the craving hits!
Wayne was going to order the Kettle Chips with Ranch Dip ($2.50), but I suggested we find out if they were actually homemade chips. Our very honest server said, “No, they are out of a bag.” So, I ordered a bowl of French onion soup, and Wayne ordered a side salad. I was not impressed with the soup. To my taste it was too weak, and I prefer French bread rather than croutons floating in it. Wayne’s salad was very fresh, and the blue cheese dressing, made in house (as are several of the other dressings) is quite good.
The Sunday Lunch ($12.95) was a choice of shaved prime rib or salmon with garlic smashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables and roll. Wayne ordered the shaved prime rib. He said it was very tender and would order it again. The potatoes are obviously “real” potatoes with both chunks and peelings.
I ordered the Sunday Brunch Extravaganza ($10.95), which gave me enough to have another couple of meals! I had a choice of Ham & Cheese or Spinach Quiche (I chose Spinach), accompanied by a sampler of grilled steak atop sautéed veggies and garlic smashed potatoes, Tomato Pie, Handmade Crepe with Strawberry Puree, and fresh fruit. I loved the crepe! Everything was delicious, but that crepe . . .
Items offered on the daily lunch/brunch menu (excluding Sunday) include Tomato Pie Brunch ($7), Panini ($7), Black & Blue Chicken sandwich or wrap ($8), Chunky Chicken Salad wrap or sandwich ($7.50) and fresh ground sirloin steak burger ($8). All sandwiches are served with Kettle chips and you get a choice of bread – for an extra $1 you can have Homemade Ciabatta, Ezekiel bread or Ezekiel wrap. They also offer a gluten free wrap or sandwich.
Wildflower Cafe also offers a dinner menu. One of the appetizers sounds like something I would love – Polenta and Cheese Shrimp Grits ($4.50 and $7). A few of the dinner items include Filet Mignon ($30), Salmon Wellington ($21), Smothered Chicken ($18) and Shrimp Scampi on a bed of Angel Hair Pasta ($18). Items are served with a salad, and depending on which particular entree you order, some have one, others have two sides.
Desserts sound wonderful – although we did not partake: Chocolate Chunk Cookie Sundae, Peanut Butter Pie, Triple Layer Carrot Cake, and Hummingbird Cake, among others. Prices range from $3.50 to $4.50.
It is a nice drive to the Wildflower Cafe, and you’ll find all sorts of items such as handmade soaps, natural foods, herbals, teas, organic coffees, etc. Small place but intriguing.
Hours for The Wildflower Cafe & Country Store are seven days a week – lunch and brunch from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Casual Gourmet Dinners are served Thursday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.
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Inside the Wildflower Cafe & Country Store
- Photo2 by Janet Wilson