Fresh food with a family tradition

Mikey’s Grill offers a mix of food, including Cajun, Italian and American.

Story by Heather Martin Jeffcoat and photos by Jon Goering

From the time you walk into Mikey’s Grill in Hoover, you can sense the familial atmosphere.

Working at the same local restaurant for more than 15 years, Michael “Mikey” Lee and his sister, Melissa Lee, had talked about owning a restaurant of their own often, and when the opportunity presented itself they made it happen. In fact, it is a family business in every sense. Many of Mikey’s family members play a part in making the Grill what it is.

Mikey, who is also the chef at the restaurant, grew up in Baton Rouge, La., and added some Cajun inspiration into his dishes on the menu. Mostly though, Mikey and Melissa just want to bring fresh food to the Shelby County area.

“We don’t follow a particular ‘style’ of cuisine. Our menu consists of seafood, Cajun, American and even a little Italian,” he said. “All of our seafood is fresh. We cut all of our own beef, we make all of our own dressings, and we even make our own bread.”

Start off with a fresh crab cake made with 95 percent crabmeat. Or try a cup of the inviting signature Seafood Gumbo. For your entrée, try the Chicken Saltimbocca, a sautéed chicken breast topped with sweet marsala, prosciutto, cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses or the Baked Salmon, a delicate piece of salmon with a lemon butter dill sauce served over spinach.

But leave room for dessert, which is made fresh by Mikey’s mom. When the brother and sister duo weren’t happy with the quality of the desserts they were receiving from vendors, their mom jumped in and started preparing her own sweets. In fact, Mikey’s mom is the inspiration for his career path, so it is only fitting that she is playing an active role in his dream turned reality.

“Her bread pudding has become so popular she’s had to go to the largest pan possible to bake it. We do have a list of desserts that are constant although when mom comes across any new desserts she will try it out on our father. If he approves, then it is sent to the restaurant,” he said.

Mikey and Melissa put a lot of long hours into Mikey’s Grill each week, but they said their love of the restaurant and seeing their customers happy make it all worth it. They have only been open a year, but they are excited for the future of the Grill. Mikey has been cooking for more than 20 years. His love of food and cooking keeps him going, and it is evident in his dishes.

“I hope that our customers leave remembering a wonderful meal and friendly service,” said Mikey. “I hope they are wondering what wonderful new item they will try the next time they are in.” l

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