Out of the Blue Seafood
Founder Sue Larson opened Out of the Blue Seafood in 2008 as a wholesale dealer of fresh fish, and quickly added smoked fish. Since then, the business has continued to grow with the addition of a restaurant about five years ago.
Jamie Herron, co-owner for about the last three-and-a-half years, says the business will soon grow again. The company is quickly outgrowing the current space, and the owners have plans to eventually take over the entire plaza where it is currently located on Bluewater Highway.
The first phase is to expand to the small retail space next door, which will increase the original restaurant space. Eventually, the goal will be to take over the spacious end unit to create a processing and storage facility.
It offers fresh and smoked lake and ocean fish all year round. The hours of operation are currently limited to 2-7 p.m., allowing it to remain open seven days a week. Like with many other small businesses, it has been difficult to remain fully staffed, especially in a resort area when the students return to school. Watch its social media and website for increased hours as staff shortages ease.
As well as both fresh and frozen fish and seafood, the store boasts a complete assortment of accessories for cooking fish, including its own line of sauces (including tartar), coleslaw and seafood chowder.
The company caters to a variety of diets and palates. In addition to a separate gluten-free fryer, the kitchen can accommodate vegan diets with vegan batters for the deep-fried pickles and mushrooms, and vegan fries.
The website has a real-time inventory of all fresh, smoked and prepared items, which you can then call to order. The smoked rainbow trout is the most popular item, so it is helpful to know that it is in stock before you call!
Herron says that his absolute favourite meal is the pickerel one-piece meal deal, which includes a quarter–pound piece of fish, fresh cut fries, lemon and tartar and can be ordered with regular or gluten-free batter. “I’d order that as my last meal, for sure,” he joked. The online ordering system is up and running for the take-out menu, making it easy to order ahead and just pop in and pick it up. 1 The Square (On Hwy. 21), Bayfield 519-565-4240