Redfish Point brings new style to familiar locale
By JUSTIN MARTIN
Veteran restaurateurs plan on bringing a casual and friendly experience to one of Cape Coral’s most popular dining spots.
When it comes to the restaurant business, Redfish Point Garden Bar & Grill owner Kyle Williams has a lot of experience.
Williams began 35 years ago as a cook, and now along with his wife Jane, owns three restaurants in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he grew up. The pair began coming to the Southwest Florida area about five years ago and saw an opportunity to expand their business. Williams is already co-owner of the popular restaurant Point 57, and is now looking to add Redfish Point to the family. Williams said that he hopes customers will see the two as sister restaurants.
The restaurant is located near the intersection of Cape Coral Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard in a building that has housed two of Cape Coral more prominent upscale dining destinations over the years, Brew Babies and La Corte.
“I think it’s a beautiful facility which is why it is drawn fine dining, but we are actually going for a more casual restaurant,” said Williams. “I think we will be more of a once-a-week type of place rather than a special occasion type of place.”
The restaurant’s unique layout has four separate sections, a terrace area out front with a new outdoor bar where live music will regularly be performed, a more relaxed inner courtyard, an indoor dining room that can also host special events and a separate bar area with new televisions to let customers keep up with the big game while they order a drink.
Williams described the menu as bar forward with nice entrees and a focus on seafood. Chef Nick Elmer, who has prepared food in everything from corporate environments to fine dining, will head the team in the restaurant’s kitchen. The Point Redfish is expected to be a signature dish, featuring blackened redfish, shrimp and crawfish in a Cajun cream, with green beans.
“The restaurant business is a combination of atmosphere service and food, and I think we are going to hit on all three of those,” Williams said.
Redfish Point is aimed at a kind of growing dining middle-ground in, according to Williams, who said that Cape Coral is gaining increased culinary diversity. He said he believes that while there is some room for fine dining to be successful, the real niche that is in need of filling is restaurants aimed at middle-class tastes and budgets.
“I think there was a need for it in the market,” said Williams. “I think there was a gap between the dive bars and the fine dining.”
Redfish Point Garden Bar & Grill will officially open to the public on Monday, Dec. 17.