MARMORA — Guests walked the planks of the newly remodeled deck May 18 as the Blue Dog Hospitality Group held a grand re-opening celebration for Captain Obadiah’s Seafood Market.
The establishment, offering raw seafood and cooked specialties for dine-in and take-out, along with an array of adult beverages, has been a summer staple for Upper Township since 1985.
Blue Dog purchased the property last year and never had a grand opening since it was after Memorial Day when they finally got up and running. This year, they are ready and raring to go as the big holiday weekend is hull up on the horizon.
“The captain is open now for the season. We didn’t get a chance to do this last year because we were racing to get it open, so we are hoping to kick off the summer today, bring people in to get some fresh fish,” Events Director Judy Brenna said.
Blue Dog owns Captain Obadiah’s and Sketties next door, Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern and Right Turn Liquors across Roosevelt Boulevard and the Deauville Inn in Strathmere.
Brenna said township officials along with close friends who have supported the company since October 2019, when Tim Fox bought the Deauville Inn and began its rehabilitation, were invited to celebrate the occasion.
Captain Obadiah’s is the latest of the four properties to get a face-lift and likely will be followed next year by Sketties, which has been closed for several years. Brenna said they are planning to stick with the Italian theme that is “fun for the whole family.”
The seafood market staff prides itself on helping would-be chefs prepare a successful meal for the family. Captain Obadiah’s recipes are hanging on the front wall, allowing patrons to get the fresh fish from the raw case and other ingredients from the dry goods section before heading home for a culinary adventure.
“We’ve been working on this venue for about a year. We did a lot of improvements, dialed in the menu a little bit. We are reinventing what we’re doing here,” Blue Dog Vice President Adam Modder said.
He said TJ Ricciardi, executive chef for the Deauville Inn and Yesterday’s, developed the menu and trained everyone to prepare the meals at Obadiah’s.
“We wanted to make it a welcoming place for locals to grab some seafood and get us on the map,” Modder said, noting there is a lot of competition in the region.
He said having multiple restaurants in the area creates a cohesion in food offerings, noting the Atomic cocktail sauce sold at Obadiah’s is a recipe from the Deauville.
“We try to cross-utilize things that are popular at different spots,” he said, noting, however, that each of the eateries has its own character and personality.
“The Deauville has become a great place summer and winter and Yesterday’s has become the local hot spot, getting a lot of support from people in the area,” he said. “They all have the same philosophy of providing the best product with elevated service.”
Representing Township Committee, Mayor Jay Newman and Deputy Mayor Kim Hayes presented a proclamation to Modder.
“It’s great, as the mayor, to go and see businesses thrive in Upper Township,” Newman said. “The township a great place to live, work and raise a family. It’s a great place and we want to keep it that way. Businesses like this contribute to the local economy, are supportive of our local volunteer agencies, supportive of the recreation programs, supportive of the township in general.”
Hayes said the restaurant’s rehabilitation ties in with one of the initiatives she and Newman started.
“One of the big goals of the mayor and I is the redevelopment of the Roosevelt Boulevard corridor,” she said. “To have businesses like this that are successful and thriving in the community is just the first step for us.”
Steve Zellers, president of the Upper Township Business Association and advertising manager for the Sentinel newspapers, was also in attendance.
– STORY and PHOTO by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff