FORT PIERCE \u2014 For more than two decades, Mervis\u2019 Cafe and Grille has served Cuban food from the same location in Fort Pierce, carrying on recipes and traditions that began with a family business in West Palm Beach more than 50 years ago.<\/p>\n
For owners Ivel and Ivelisse Sierra, the restaurant is about more than food. It is a way to share Cuban culture with the community through family recipes, music and, now, a colorful mural taking shape on the building\u2019s exterior.<\/p>\n
The story of Mervis\u2019 began with Ivel\u2019s father, who operated a convenience store in West Palm Beach. In 1970, he began preparing Cuban food at the store, including Cuban sandwiches, pork sandwiches and steak sandwiches.<\/p>\n
The business location eventually was taken by the Florida Department of Transportation, and the family closed it.<\/p>\n
The family had a home in the Fort Pierce area and liked the community enough to move there in 2001.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe said, \u2018Let\u2019s bring some of that food, cuisine and culture here,\u2019\u201d Ivel said.<\/p>\n
Fort Pierce residents embraced the restaurant, and Mervis\u2019 has remained at the same location ever since.<\/p>\n
Mervis\u2019 has another feature that may surprise first-time visitors: There is a small U.S. Post Office with a gift shop inside the restaurant.<\/p>\n
When customers can stop in for their tostones, croquettes and empanadas, they can also mail letters and packages!<\/p>\n
What\u2019s in a name?<\/p>\n
The restaurant name is also part of the family\u2019s history. Mervis is Ivel\u2019s mother\u2019s name and the name his father used for the original business.<\/p>\n
That name still occasionally brings customers through the door.<\/p>\n
People who remember the West Palm Beach store sometimes walk into Mervis\u2019 and ask whether it is the same business they knew years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it is,\u201d Ivel said.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, they aren\u2019t even dining in.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive me a few Cubans. I want to take them with me,\u201d he recalled customers saying.<\/p>\n
A taste of home<\/p>\n
Much of the food at Mervis\u2019 traces back to Ivel\u2019s mother and the recipes she learned from her own parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything comes from Mom, mostly,\u201d Ivel said.<\/p>\n
For someone unfamiliar with Cuban cuisine, his recommendation is simple: Start with the Cuban sandwich.<\/p>\n
During a recent visit, I went with another classic: masitas de puerco, or fried pork chunks, served with rice, beans and sweet plantains.<\/p>\n
It was delicious and an easy introduction to why the Sierras describe the combination as a Cuban staple.<\/p>\n
The menu also includes pollo asado, palomilla steak, steak sandwiches and pulled roasted pork served on Cuban bread.<\/p>\n
Breakfast is another popular draw, with Cuban bread pressed with combinations such as bacon, egg and cheese or ham, egg and cheese.<\/p>\n
And then there is the coffee.<\/p>\n
A meal at Mervis\u2019 can be finished with Cuban coffee, whether served alongside the food or afterward.<\/p>\n
What makes a Cuban sandwich?<\/p>\n
There is a certain amount of debate over what belongs on a proper Cuban sandwich.<\/p>\n
At Mervis\u2019, the foundation is traditional: ham, cheese, pickles, mustard and roasted pork.<\/p>\n
Then comes one ingredient that can spark its own argument: salami.<\/p>\n
Some Cuban sandwiches include it. Others don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Mervis\u2019 does.<\/p>\n
The Sierras have been making their sandwiches the same way since 1970, following the tradition established at the family\u2019s original business.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just put a few extra touches to it,\u201d Ivel said.<\/p>\n
For a restaurant that has spent decades making Cuban food, the sandwich is more than an item on the menu. It is a direct link between the family\u2019s past and present.<\/p>\n
A mural takes shape<\/p>\n
That connection to Cuban culture is also becoming impossible to miss from the street.<\/p>\n
A large mural on the outside of Mervis\u2019 is nearing completion, transforming the building into a colorful landmark.<\/p>\n
The project is part of a Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency mural initiative designed to bring art to empty walls while incorporating the city\u2019s diverse cultures.<\/p>\n
The Sierras were shown several concepts and had input on the final design, including some minor changes. Much of the final design came from mural artist Sitki Dogan.<\/p>\n
Dogan said he drew inspiration from Cuban architecture, music and dance.<\/p>\n
He has painted other murals in Fort Pierce, including two completed in recent years.<\/p>\n
Dogan said he is excited to see the city investing in murals and other artwork.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city tries to improve all empty walls and they are trying to bring in more art pieces,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
At Mervis\u2019, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.<\/p>\n
Customers have watched the mural progress and followed updates posted online. People driving past have slowed down to get a better look.<\/p>\n
For Ivel, the mural is another way to tell the story Mervis\u2019 has been telling through food for more than 20 years in Fort Pierce.<\/p>\n
The goal, he said, is for customers to leave with more than a full stomach.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust an overall positive experience,\u201d he said. \u201cExperience the culture, the food, the music playing in the background and just have a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n