The Blue Pelican Inn flies high

June 28, 2009

The Blue Pelican Inn Flies High
By Nancy Krcek Allen 6/29/09

Chris Corbett needed something to do, so he opened a restaurant in Central
Lake in 2003. When the five-year-old Blue Pelican burned down on July 29,
2008, Corbett didn’t miss a beat. He and his wife Merrie restored the
restaurant, added a new sunroom and kitchen, and changed its name to The
Blue Pelican Room.
Last October, Corbett, who “likes to stay busy,” bought the old Murphy’s
Lamplight Inn in Central Lake. “My wife wanted me to buy it, the community
wanted me to buy it, the bank wanted me to buy it and the mayor wanted me
to buy it,” says Corbett. Between the two businesses Corbett says he spent
about $2 million. “The community needs this,” he says.
The Corbetts gutted, renovated and transformed the Lamplight into the new
Blue Pelican Inn, which will offer seven guest rooms with a common living
room housing a computer work station and WIFI internet café for customers,
a 45-seat Rathskeller bar, 1,880-square-foot, 120-seat restaurant with new
kitchen, an 1,800-square-foot, 100-seat covered porch and – attached to
the porch – a large fenced-in area for outdoor events like the
community-minded “Two for Tuesday.”

FAMILY FUN
The Corbetts host “Two for Tuesday” all summer for families who can’t
afford to dine at their restaurant. It features hotdogs, brats, margaritas
and beer for $2 and burgers and pulled pork for $3 weekly. The event has
created a sense of community. “Neighbors sit by each other on picnic
tables,” says Corbett. “People who just waved at each other now are
having block parties together.”
It’s no surprise that the Corbetts will offer state-of-the-art
audio-visual systems inside and outside of the restaurant for luncheon
meetings and other functions. Corbett owns a large communications company
in Virginia called Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. Employing 150
people, CTSI supplies audio-visual, security, sound, fire alarm, war room
and tracer services for many hospitals (like Walter Reed Army Medical
Center) and schools (like George Washington University) along the eastern
seaboard.
Corbett’s wife Merrie grew up in Albion, Michigan. Merrie’s grandfather,
Howard Adams, purchased land in Eastport on the Bay in the ’40s. Her aunt
and uncle built a home there and other family members had begun to move
into the area, so she persuaded Corbett to summer for 10 days each year in
Central Lake. She eventually talked him into buying a house on
Intermediate Lake, then into buying a building in downtown Central Lake.
Merrie turned the building into Adam’s Madams, a gift and art shop, named
after her grandfather. Originally other female members of the family were
part of the shop, which is why it was named Adams Madams.

ON THE MENU
The Pelican Inn will offer some of the Corbett’s coastal favorites like
their special Maryland Crab Cake with premium crab, salsa and tartar sauce
($12) and Carolina Pulled Pork, basted in cherry barbecue sauce and slow
roasted ($17).
Smoked Salmon Pâté with capers, green onions, and pita chips ($8), the
Big Bang Shrimp—popcorn shrimp with spicy Thai sauce ($11) and the Green
Parrot Salad with greens, Derby-Sage cheese, cherry tomatoes, Granny
Smith apples, dried cherries and toasted walnuts ($12) and homemade soups
(cup $4/bowl $5) round out the first courses.
The Pelican Restaurant’s dinner offerings start with their hand-cut and
grilled 14-ounce Delmonico steak ($21), the King Crab Leg Platter or Jumbo
Shrimp Platter—seasoned or plain (1/2 pound-$20/1 pound-$26) and Grilled
or Blackened Walleye ($20) or Atlantic Salmon ($18). Sides ($2.50 each)
like green beans, mashed potatoes, homemade coleslaw and corn on the cob
complete dinner.
For dessert The Blue Pelican offers, ice cream ($2), Key Lime Pie ($4.95)
or the Dessert of the Day ($6.95). They accommodate kids with Hamburger
or Hot Dog with Chips and Ice Cream ($4.95).
Merrie Corbett says that their seafood recipes come from restaurants in
Nag’s Head, North Carolina. Shrimp and crab are prepared with drawn butter
and Old Bay seasoning; steamed vegetables with fresh Parmesan. The
barbeque and ribs recipes came from Memphis Barbeque in Virginia. She
notes that their foods are smoked with fresh maple, apple and cherry in
their own kitchen by chefs Patrick Barraw and Keith Verellen.
Bob Rodriguez, Northwestern Michigan College culinary instructor, was the
Corbetts’ first chef at The Blue Pelican. “Our special BBQ sauce (created
by Rodriguez), named the Blue Pelican Cherry BBQ sauce,” says Merrie, “was
voted by the Record-Eagle as an ‘Irresistible Eats’ in Northern Michigan.
The recipes for our seafood, steak and pasta dishes were created by our
chefs Patrick Barraw and Keith Verellen. Our special coleslaw is a recipe
of Keith’s Grandma Verellen.”
“I got bored and we missed seafood so we decided to open an East Coast
seafood restaurant. This is the crazy hobby,” says Corbett. “I lose about
$50,000 to $60,000 a year, but it’s a blast.”

The Blue Pelican Inn and Restaurant is located at 2535 North Main Street
in Central Lake. For reservations, call 231-544-2583 (BLUE).
The Blue Pelican Room (open for special functions) is located at East
Torch Lake Drive in Central Lake. For more information, call 231-544-BLUE,
ext 15.