New Captain’s Galley is open
Luretta Williams-Sims, owner of Capt’n Con’s restaurant in Bokeelia, is no stranger to the business. In addition to Capt’n Con’s, she recently opened the Captain’s Galley, also in Bokeelia, near the Four Corners.
Sims said she’s had her share of challenges in opening the restaurant, which is currently being run by her daughter, Rochelle Chellis.
Mike Miceli, owner of El Pollo Rico, which was located where the Captain’s Galley is now, currently owns the building and originally found a cook for Sims. The cook quit after one weekend, explaining that he wasn’t a short-order cook. Sims said in the long run she sees this as a blessing in disguise since in the event the cook could not be there, someone else would have to know how to make his recipes. He offered to stay on for a few weeks, but Sims felt that there was no point in introducing a menu bound to be temporary.
“Although a lot of people loved his food, this is more like down-home and family,” Sims said.
Sims, who has been in the food service industry for many years, insists on getting things right and knowing her customers are happy. Her first time working at Capt’n Con’s she said was in 1979, she returned in the 1980s, and finally bought the business in December 1995.
“If something isn’t right with someone’s food, I want to hear about it here, not on social media or from someone at Winn-Dixie,” Sims said.
Regarding the two businesses, Chellis said there is still much confusion about the difference in the menus. Although they are willing to cook something from the Capt’n Con’s menu in the event that a customer comes in who did not want to make the drive there, the two menus are not the same. The menu at Captain’s Galley seems to do well, Chellis said. The menu, she explained, is much more flexible, as far as changing something according to a particular customer’s desire.
Chellis wanted to make it clear that either she or Sims are likely to be at the restaurant at all times.
“Our servers ask constantly if everything is O.K. If something isn’t right, it will be made right,” Chellis said.
Although hours are subject to change, currently Captain’s Galley is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 7 a.m. to closing (hours are subject to change).
Captain’s Galley is located at 5508 Avenue A, Bokeelia. For additional information, call 239-558-4046.