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Alice’s Family Restaurant has become something of a storied institution in Martin County since it fi rst opened in 1989. Both year-round and seasonal residents consider the restaurant to be their go-to spot for consistently delicious, home-cooked fare served in a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere.
Now, the new owners of Alice’s Family Restaurant — husband and wife George & Tetiana Forgione — are offering not only the same tasty favorites that have always been at the restaurant, but also new dishes that you can’t fi nd just anywhere! Tetiana is originally from Kyiv, so she has brought traditional Ukrainian fare — including beet salad, pelmeni (i.e. dumplings), and olivie salad (i.e. potato salad), to name a few — to the menu. As a result, at Alice’s Family Restaurant, you will fi nd not only beloved classics, but also exciting additions.
For this review, Abby and I, along with our guest Paul, were eager to start by sampling some of the new homemade Ukrainian food on Alice’s menu. The restaurant now serves two types of blinchiki (i.e. crepes): one with sweet farmer’s cheese & strawberry ($10.95) and the other with chicken & gravy ($16.95).
Light and whimsical, the fruit & cheese version is a wonderful choice if you’re craving something sweet but not heavy. The farmer’s cheese tempered the bright tartness of the fresh strawberries to create a very balanced fl avor. Additionally, it added a unique, slightly gritty texture that worked well with the softness of the thin crepe.
I am newly obsessed with Alice’s chicken blinchiki, which were rustic, yet refi ned. Each forkful was full of tender shredded chicken that practically melted in our mouths. Delicate basil leaves, which are grown directly on site by Tetiana herself, fi nished the dish, adding a lovely freshness to the plate and cutting the saltiness of the savory gravy. These are defi nitely a must-order menu item!
Next, we each ordered staples from Alice’s menu that have been longtime favorites for regular diners.
Abby chose the shaved prime rib sandwich ($15.49) that was on special for the day, plus a side of Ukrainian potato salad, a/k/a “olivie.” Served with grilled onions and a mild horseradish sauce, the perfectly moist and tender Angus beef sandwich was expertly seasoned. Abby was incredibly impressed by it, and said, “This is not a typical, average dish that you’d fi nd at any ol’ diner! It has sophisticated layers of fl avor.”
Similarly, the olivie was “not just any potato salad that you’d fi nd prepackaged in the grocery store!” No, it was way better. Lush with chunks of tender ham, carrots, eggs, pickles, olives, and, of course, potatoes, the olivie was thick, rich, and fi lling. The pickles gave it just enough tartness, and the varying textures — creamy, supple, and crunchy — were incredibly satisfying.
Paul selected the burger bomb with a side of homemade potato chips ($15). The juicy half-pound hamburger was topped with crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, rich mozzarella cheese, and a beer-battered onion ring, plus fresh lettuce and tomato. “This is scrumptious,” Paul commented, adding, “but it’s very fi lling. You better bring your appetite if you order it!” He especially enjoyed his side of made-from-scratch chips, which were extra crunchy with a salty/smoky fl avor that was “reminiscent of kettle-cooked chips.”
My vegetable omelette ($14.74) was gigantic, made with 3 XL eggs, and absolutely loaded with all different types of vegetables, including mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and onions, plus plenty of delicious Swiss cheese. Thick and shockingly fl uffy, this omelette is genuinely one of the best that I have ever had the pleasure of eating! Our offi ce is not very far from Alice’s Family Restaurant, so I defi nitely plan on getting an omelette from there on those mornings when I need an extra pick-me-up… there’s no way you can eat one without cracking a smile!
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by Gabby Gregory Questions/Comments? diningreview@mediaoms.com
with Gabby, Abby, & Paul
I also got a small side of the restaurant’s handcrafted grits ($2.29) because our waitress highly recommended them. To be honest, I really didn’t expect to end up writing about them because I thought they would just be… grits. Boy was I wrong! Upon taking my fi rst bite, I was pleasantly surprised to fi nd that they didn’t need any additional salt, pepper, milk, cheese, etc. In fact, Alice’s grits were rich, creamy, and seasoned perfectly. I could very much tell that someone had taken time and care in making these grits, even though they aren’t a main course on the menu. That fact gave me confi dence that all of the other dishes at the restaurant were crafted just as thoughtfully!
All of the desserts at Alice’s Family Restaurant are made from scratch by Tetiana herself! We sampled some of the parfaits ($7.95 each): pineapple, strawberry, and chocolate. We found them all to be sweet and creamy, and the cake batter within each one was deliciously moist. Light and refreshing, the parfaits are a refreshing fi nale for any breakfast, brunch, or lunch!
Regardless of whether you’ve been to Alice’s Family Restaurant before, you must take a trip to see what’s new at this longtime local gem! George and Tetiana have retained all of the best parts of Alice’s, from the friendly and welcoming servers (like Nancy, who has been at the restaurant since it fi rst opened 33 years ago!) to the popular staples on the menu. Simultaneously, the charming couple has also introduced new dishes that offer something different, yet delicious, to our community. Don’t miss out! Find the beloved classics and exciting additions at Alice’s Family Restaurant. Alice’s Family Restaurant is located in the Cedar Pointe Plaza at 2781 SE Ocean Boulevard in Stuart. The restaurant is open for the Summer on Mondays-Fridays from 8AM-3PM and Saturdays-Sundays from 7AM-2PM. For more information or to place an order, call 772-286-9528 or visit alicesrestaurantfl .com.
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