Such has been the case with many Southwest Florida dining establishments that start with a flourish and quickly fizzle out. And then there are the exceptions that get it right from the onset and somehow, just keep getting better. Blue Pointe Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill is one of them.

When it opened in the Bell Tower Shops in south Fort Myers earlier this year, Blue Pointe made such an overwhelmingly positive impression that many people assumed it was part of a well-oiled, national chain. Some people still do, although Blue Pointe is one of a kind, just like each of the 14 restaurants owned and operated by Michigan-based Main Street Ventures.

The company, established in the early 1980s, is known for developing upscale steak, seafood and Italian restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Blue Pointe was its first Florida restaurant, followed by Real Seafood Co., which opened over the summer in Naples on Vanderbilt Beach Road.

The owners plan to open another six to eight restaurants in Southwest Florida, each with a unique design, menu and identity. Obviously, as an oyster bar and seafood grill, Blue Pointe’s focus is on fish and shellfish.

However, unlike many restaurants with seasonal raw bars, Blue Pointe offers several varieties of fresh, premium oysters, as well as shrimp, clams, lobster and lump crab meat every day, all year long. Shucked and served on the half shell, the oysters are plump and flavorful, just as you’d expect from their coldwater origins off Maine, Long Island and elsewhere in the Atlantic.

During happy hour at the raw bar (4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday) you’ll pay just 50¢ per oyster, shrimp or clam. (Usually, oysters are $9.95 for a half-dozen.) Because much of Blue Point’s seafood is flown in daily from Boston and the Great Lakes, the menu isn’t limited to the usual snapper, grouper and tuna selections.

While the more common Florida varieties are available, so too are a number of fresh catches seldom seen in Southwest Florida: Block Island Swordfish, Alaskan Troll Caught King Salmon, Great Lakes Walleye and George’s Bank Lemon Sole, to name a few.

According to manager Brian Johnson, white, freshwater fish have proven popular with locals eager to try something different, as well as northern tourists and transplants hankering for a taste of home. In fact, one of the restaurant’s top-selling entrees is the sole, which is lightly encrusted in Parmesan and served with a lemon/caper sauce ($12.95).

Another favorite is the Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake, which has so little filler and so much crab you’ll wonder how it holds together. It is available as an entrée, appetizer or sandwich ($9.95-$11.95).

Frequent fish eaters will appreciate the Chef’s Features, which change weekly and typically include an innovative soup or salad, an entrée or two and a dessert. Each featured creation offers a departure from the norm without being prohibitively exotic.

For example, the Nude Crab Ravioli offered recently is described as ‘pastaless pasta made with jumbo lump crab, spinach and ricotta cheese, tossed with broccoli and our marinara sauce.’ Another featured entrée, the Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon, might be pedestrian fare at any other restaurant. However, at Blue Pointe, it is a melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece served with lemon peel risotto and parsley pesto.

All fish are offered either grilled, broiled or blackened, and served with Blue Pointe’s wonderfully original Bleu Cheese Coleslaw Vinaigrette, a choice of several side dishes, and a basket of the restaurant’s deliciously addictive homemade rolls. Diners may also choose from numerous appetizers, soups, salads and sandwiches to suit every taste, including Blue’s Half Pound Burger, along with steaks, chops and chicken.

Thanks to its top-shelf liquors, two-ounce drinks and signature martinis, Blue Pointe’s cozy bar and lounge does a brisk business. Patrons will further appreciate Blue Pointe’s olive tray, filled with a variety of stuffed olives and other accompaniments ideal for martinis. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list with selections available by the glass or bottle, and more than a dozen domestic and imported beers.

Most menu items are available at lunch and dinner, with smaller portions and prices during the day. Prices average around $7-$12 for lunch entrees and $17-$22 for entrees after 4 p.m. Prove it’s your birthday and your meal is free, or if you’re with a group, you’ll receive a discount. But even if you visit on one of the other 364 days, dining at Blue Pointe is a bargain at twice the price.

(Blue Pointe Oyster Bar & Grill is in the Bell Tower Shops at 13499 So. Cleveland Ave. in Ft. Myers. Open daily at 11:30 a.m. and serving until 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 11 p.m. Friday & Saturday, and noon - 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information: (239) 433-0924 or www.bluepointerestaurant.com. For reservations call 1-888-456-DINE.)