Family restaurant opens in Flora
By Jennifer Archibald Staff writer

There's a new restaurant in town.

Flora's Family Restaurant opened Jan. 7 at 206 N. Sycamore Street (State Road 75) at the west end of town.

Owner and chef is Nick Ferati, and his fiancé, Ashley Sales, is manager. They employ 12 people.

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Anything from the menu can be ordered during those hours, so if you like pancakes in the evening, the chef will accommodate you.

Ferati said his uncles and cousins own several restaurants in Indiana, and he has worked in those family restaurants for 10 years. He also formerly owned his own restaurant in Greencastle.

He said he learned about the restaurant opportunity in Flora from friends in Monticello.

Although the restaurant has only been open for a short time, Ferati said he has been pleased with the number of customers, and he appreciates the well-wishes from the local business community.

On Friday nights, the restaurant specials are prime rib, catfish, and all-you-can-eat walleye. Sunday's specials include roast turkey, roast pork and dressing. Other daily specials vary.

Sales said a popular breakfast item is the hay stack. It includes the following favorites in layers: hash browns, half order of biscuits and gravy, cheese, and two eggs on top.

Some of the sandwich offerings are baked Italian beef, ribeye steak sandwich, patty melts, reubens, and gyros. Homemade soups are also served.

Other menu items include a low calorie plate, open faced Manhattans, steaks, seafood, and Italian specialties such as baked mostaccioli and cavatina.

There's also a kids' menu and senior citizens' menu.

Meals can be topped off with pie or cheesecake.

Carry-outs are available, and there's a party room.

Ferati said some painting and remodeling were done in the dining area, but the biggest change is in the kitchen.

"We put in a whole new kitchen, more set up for a family restaurant," he said.