After more than a year without Red Restaurant on Mondays, Red will once again open its doors on Monday, March 24, with two menu items made from the Weight Watcher's Cookbook, eight new wines to select, and special roasted coffee.

Executive Chef Missy Simon and her kitchen crew have worked for several weeks to perfect items from the Weight Watcher's Cookbook so that a new lighter fare can be offered to those trying to watch their weight.

That decision was easy – prompted by the year-long efforts of a group of men and women who have collectively lost more than 1,400 lbs in the past year.

“We’ve been so inspired by the Weight Watchers group that meets here on Monday that we wanted to do something that would encourage them and provide all of our customers with some healthy eating options,” explained Red’s Senior Manager Bud East. “Lots of our customers have requested that we reopen Red on Mondays.”

Two special menu items will be offered on Monday’s – each prepared from the Weight Watcher’s cookbook – and those special items could be offered all week. East said the restaurant would gauge how they would sell. Prices on the new dishes start at $9.95.

Making their debut on Monday, March 24 will be a Feta burger, and Roasted Mustard Chicken. Salads will be offered with the choice of a fat free ranch dressing or a balsamic vinegar dressing.

In addition to the new lighter fare options, Red Restaurant recently unveiled eight new wines, which include Red Guitar Rose; Fat Cat Merlot; Redwood Creek Merlot and Redwood Creek Chardonnay (both now the official “house” wines).

“We are also proud to be offering two specially roasted coffees’ that have been done exclusively for Red,” said Jay Kill, Red's restaurant manager and a faculty member of the International Culinary School of the Art Institute of Tennessee. "The new blends are called the Dancing Queen coffee and come in a Hazelnut and regular Cafe house coffee."

Kill has been serving as restaurant manager of Red since November, focusing on improving restaurant service and the overall customer dining experience.  He’s perhaps best known for donning a house dress and wig with curlers for a campy welcome to diners every Sunday for Red’s Brunch Buffet.

Simon, who has been honing her skills in the Red kitchen for the last several months, has wowed Red’s customers with her homemade desserts – and East said she’s got a special chocolate mousse that she found in the Weight Watcher’s cookbook that’s sure to delight anyone with a sweet tooth.

“It’s got a very rich chocolate taste and if you’re counting points with Weight Watcher’s, it’s only got three,” East said.  

Red Restaurant is located at 1515 Church Street, 615-329-2913. For more information on Red Restaurant, click here.