By Cape Coral Foodie Shana Overhulser
Exciting things are happening at Island Cafe On The Bay in Matlacha. A new dock was recently constructed catering to the hungry boaters, kayakers and jet skiers off of the Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve. For the vessels, there is now a convenient way to fill up the coolers without stepping on the dock. Waitresses will deliver ice cold beers, wine bottles, bags of ice and packaged food dishes right to your boat with a simple call in for the order!
Love island attire, tropical home decor and interesting findings? An eclectic array of jewelry, bags, hats and knick knacks could now be found in the newly opened Island Cafe On The Bay gift shop adjacent to the restaurant.
In 2014, owners Bruce and Deborah Pitts, rebuilt this waterfront restaurant complete with small outside stage, inside bar and breakfast nook. It was originally built as a fish and shellfish cannery in the 1960s, most recently known as Toucan’s Restaurant until a devastating fire in 2012 ensued completely damaging the outside structure and interior. Not only did the Pitts have to reconstruct the entire establishment but meet state and county regulations and assure the standards were met on historic regulations. “We fell in love with the property,” said Deborah, “but had no idea it was going to be this complicated. That being said, we saw the light at the end of the tunnel and are happy that it turned out to be a success. Something we would like to pass on to our daughter, Brianna Rose.”
Locals and tourists alike are thrilled with their authentic “broasting,” a method of cooking chicken and other foods using a pressure fryer. A unique technique that essentially pressure cooks favorites like shrimp, vegetables, chicken and egg rolls in vegetable oil. The result is a delightful sealed-in flavor, un-compromised by grease and less fat than traditional frying. You could find 3 broasting machines in their busy kitchen with an array of seafood entrees, fresh caught fish, mouthwatering sirloins, ribs and wraps. The foods I order time and again are the Island Tuna Tower, Ahi tuna tartar stacked with coconut basmati rice, mango pineapple salsa and sliced avocado and – the humongous thick sliced onions rings served with horseradish sauce.
Another notable update is the new boutique wines that they offer. You could now find rare gems from family-owned wineries around the world, exclusively at Island Cafe On The Bay. Also offered are ‘Clean Wines.’ Deerfield Ranch Winery of Napa, California is one winery that offers very low levels of sulfites in their wines by practices of cleanliness in the fermentation and wine-making process. The winemaker also does something very important: feeds the yeast organic yeast food and supplies them with oxygen to keep them growing happily during the process. Then, by reducing bacteria in the fermenter, Deerfield reduces the source of unwanted histamine production. The result is a cleaner wine, low in histamines and sulfites and wonderful tasting wine to boot. This makes all the difference to those with sensitivity to sulfites and those with incredible hangovers. Try the beautiful Summer wine, Deerfield Ranch White Rex. A 2013 White Blend with a beautiful bouquet of white peach.
Bring your family and friends to enjoy the view from your front row seat at Island Cafe On The Bay as you take in the spectacular sunsets, witness Matlacha’s busy boating community traffic, dolphins, manatees and various native fish as they parade in front of you. Relish in the fun island themed decor and listen to live bands playing daily. Their chef-inspired bill of fare, all of which have been created mostly from local natural/organic sustainable fresh ingredients when and where-ever possible.
Call for reservations, catering or take-out at 239-540-3463 or visit their web site at www.islandcafeonthebayfl.com . Or stop in and see them at 4200 Pine Island Rd, NW , Matlacha, FL 33993
