Seafood restaurant Out of the Blue opens in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE — A new seafood restaurant, Out of the Blue, has opened in Gainesville, promising customers the best blue crabs in the area.

Husband-wife duo Daniel and Ryan Pell have taken the next step in their careers by opening their own restaurant. Out of the Blue was born through the blending of the couples professional experiences.

“We’ve been both in the restaurant industry for a very long time and really just starting our own restaurant was the next natural step for us,” said owner Ryan Pell.

They say their new operation set apart from their competitors due to their access to local fish houses and seafood wholesalers along the east coast.

Daniel Pell has worked a multitude of positions from being directly on boats catching the produce to managing restaurants. The couple declined to say what other restaurants in which they worked.

To showcase signature flavors, Out of the Blue offers a line of sauces that were crafted and are served with their seafood. Their Out of the Blue sauce, which they coined “a proprietary blend of flavor explosion” is highly recommended to enjoy alongside the snow crab legs. For those seeking a little kick from their sauce, the sriracha lime sauce is recommended to add a little zest.

His partner, Ryan Pell, is more experienced within aspects that relieve around the front of the house duties. This includes anything from bartending to bookings and accommodations of private parties. Despite the variety of experience she has working at corporate restaurants, Pell favors tending the bar.

“My vision in our restaurant was to have a really great happening, if you will, bar area that offers fantastic cocktails with great fresh flavors that are handcrafted and exquisitely made,” said Ryan. Aside from mixed drinks, Out of the Blue offers a wine list that offers sauvignon blanc wine to cabernets. These beverages are sold at discounted price during their Captain’s Hour. This special runs Monday to Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Out of the Blue menu offers a large menu, from their classic seafood dishes to less fishy courses. The snow crab dinner, starting at $39, comes with two pounds of snow crab clusters and the choice of two sides. This dish has quickly become a customer favorite within the three weeks of the restaurant’s opening. Customers are also growing fond of their jumbo lump crab cakes. Starting at $27, this entree comes with no filler jumbo lump crab cakes, mango salsa, sriracha lime, and cocktail sauce.

Fishless options include steaks from a local meat market, chicken linguine served with your choice of sauce, and grilled chicken. The entire Out of the Blue menu is also available for takeout orders. Crabs by the dozen, full bushels, and half bushels are also available for carryout.

Out of the Blue is located within the Virginia Gateway Shopping Center at 5005 Wellington Rd. They’re open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.