ED?FRANKS The Blue Dog Bar &?Grill in Matlacha.

Pine Island / Matlacha has a new restaurant the Blue Dog Bar & Grill. Located in the old Mulletville Restaurant since October, owners John Lynch and Jessie Tincher say they are serving the freshest local seafood available.

“I’ve lived about a block away from here for the last 18 years,” Lynch said. “I worked as a general manager for some of the larger restaurant chains and have an extensive restaurant background.

“I’ve been coming here to the old Mullet-ville Restaurant, and before that Lob Lolly since I moved here,” Lynch continued. “When the building became available I contacted an old friend, Jessie Tincher, and together we decided that this was a great opportunity.”

He went on to explain how the restaurant got its unique name.

“The name Blue Dog came from the name of the first dog I ever had,” Lynch said. “He was actually black but to a 5-year-old it made sense. He was a great dog and most of my best memories as a child was with this dog so we agreed to name the restaurant Blue Dog as well as some of our menu items.

“The goal of Blue Dog was to open a small, neighborhood restaurant in Matlacha, the town we love,” Lynch said. “Our focus is on the small things that belong in a neighborhood restaurant: being genuinely friendly, knowing the names of our guests and serving fresh local food at reasonable prices. Our hope is that the neighborhood grows to trust us and makes us an extension of their homes.”

Blue Dog’s menu begins with breakfast. The “Matlacha Morning Glory” is a two egg breakfast with potatoes or grits, toast and coffee all for $5. You can also “build your own omelet” with bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomato, black olives, broccoli, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, American cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese and fresh salsa.

The restaurant also has a weekend brunch.

The lunch and dinner menu, along with the burgers, hand-cut steaks and sandwiches, has a different twist entitled “Custom Entrees.” You can choose the “Catch of the Moment:” mahi, fresh gulf shrimp, mullet or chicken breast and have it prepared one of five different ways (grilled, blackened, fried, sauteed or seared). Then choose one of five toppings (mango salsa, curry, salsa, Asian or lemon caper). This offers hundreds of combination possibilities.

“The very first time I drove through Pine Island / Matlacha almost 20 years ago, it reminded me of the old Florida Keys back in the 1960s and 1970s,” Lynch said. “Our logo of Blue Dog has the white boots (locally called ‘Pine Island Reeboks’) that ‘Blue’ wears. This is a nod to the rich past and current fishing history of Pine Island and Matlacha. These boots are worn by commercial fishermen all along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida.

“From our family, we’d like to give our thanks to every crabber, fisherman, shrimper, oysterman and all the commercial fishermen on the entire Gulf Coast but particularly Matlacha and Pine Island, for the sacrifices you have made to carry on the traditions of your fathers,” he noted. “It’s one of the things that makes us proud to call Matlacha and Pine Island home. This is a great community.”

The Blue Dog Bar & Grill is at 4597 Pine Island Road, N.W., Matlacha.

Hours are Monday – Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Breakfast is served daly from 7:30-11 a.m. Brunch is served Saturday & Sunday. 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For information, call 239-558-4970. Visit the website: www.bluedogfl.com or email bluedog-barfl@gmail.com