Hudson's on the River readies to open in Stuart in shadow of Pelican Café controversy

STUART — Its name now is Hudson’s on the River, and the waterfront seafood restaurant is poised to open in about two weeks as successor of the much-beloved Pelican Café.

While the Pelican was iconic in downtown Stuart, it also was a flashpoint of controversy in 2019 when its owners, Linda and Paul Daly, pressured the city — which owns the property — to agree to a new lease. They rallied the community to their cause, and packed City Commission chambers with supporters sporting "Save the Pelican" T-shirts.

And just one month after getting their new lease from the city, and promising to be in business for the long haul, the Dalys put the Pelican up for sale.

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Local restaurateur Michael Matakaetis now has a 10-year lease with the city — which could be extended an additional 20 years — and the deal comes with a great financial benefit to the city. The rent will almost double what the Dalys paid.

The current monthly rent of $1,965 will increase to $6,500 in September 2023. Beginning in 2025 it will increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index for South Florida but no more than 3% a year.

The Dalys paid $42,000 in rent each year between 2019 and 2020.

“This is definitely going to be a lot more fair,” City Manager David Dyess said of the Hudson’s rent compared to the Pelican Café's. “Then when you take into consideration the amount of investment that (Matakaetis) has put into the property, I think we’re definitely getting a fair deal when you combine those two together.”

Delayed debut

The debut of the eatery next to Flagler Park originally was planned for August, but materials and supplies “that would normally take two to three weeks are taking two to three months to get,” said Ben Foster, the restaurant's director of operations. Some items are taking longer.

“We ordered umbrellas for the outside tables… back in June and they’re still not here yet,” he said.

As other businesses nationwide, especially restaurants, have experienced difficulties in finding and retaining employees, Hudson’s hired most of its staff from hosting job fairs over the past month, Foster said.

More than $2 million of renovations are to be complete over the weekend, Foster said. Hudson's on the River is to open March 7, serving lunch and dinner.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, he said. In April, the eatery will open an hour earlier on weekends for brunch, which will be served until 3 p.m.

Food options will include a raw bar with oysters and sushi along with signature dishes featuring Wahoo, Foster said.

The most interesting and surprising dish on the menu could be the octopus hot dog, he added, served with Asian slaw and aioli on top. The octopus tentacle is cooked using a method called sous vide, with the meat vacuum-sealed in a bag and cooked at a precise temperature in water.

It’s then covered in a cornmeal batter and flash-fried before going in the bun.

“It’s something that’s different,” Foster said.

Made from scratch

Hudson’s will differ from Stuart Boathouse — which also is owned by Matakaetis — with its “Asian and island-influenced” dishes featuring vinaigrette and citrus sauces, Foster said. All items will be made from scratch in-house.

On busier weekend nights, servers will make drinks tableside from a mojito cart.

“I think a lot of people are going to have a big smile on their face when they walk in and see what we’ve done. We’ve gone the extra mile in every aspect of it,” he said.

The restaurant will accommodate about 300 people inside and outside, he said. Anticipating large numbers, parking concerns are being addressed with free valet.

Dyess said the city is looking for solutions to accommodate for more parking in downtown, especially during snowbird season, as the area continues to grow.

One focus would be providing enough spots for the restaurant and the weekly Sunday farmers market at the park.

“We’re going to have to really evaluate that," Dyess said, " and try to make a determination on how the city can help both of them play together in the sandbox.” Dyess said.

Lina Ruiz is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for Martin County. You can reach her at lina.ruiz@tcpalm.com, on Twitter @Lina_Ruiz48 or at 321-501-3845.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hudson's on the River ready to open in shadow of Pelican Café controversy