FLEMING ISLAND – As a fan of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network, Ryan Parr has made it his ambition as general manager of Talons Restaurant to be featured on the show. To make his newly-revamped clubhouse restaurant at Eagle Harbor stand out, he had his chefs design a signature sandwich. As a result, the Little John was born.

It’s a half-pound of roast beef and a quarter-pound of pastrami with sautéed peppers and onions on a focaccia bun. The bun is stuffed with prosciutto cheese and pepper jack cheese. Then, the sandwich is topped off with fried wickle pickles, pepper jack cheese and a fried egg. It’s a monstrosity that requires a big mouth and a bigger appetite.

“Everybody’s food is good, but offering something they can’t get anywhere else makes us stand out because you can’t get this anywhere else in town. I want people to call their friends and say ‘you gotta’ try this,’” Parr said.

Talons used to be a mere clubhouse snack shop, according to Parr. It was a restaurant for those who wanted lunch after an early round of golf at the Eagle Harbor Golf Course. Parr said the course and restaurant were closed in May last year for the course to be improved and the restaurant to be remodeled.

It was completely gutted and renamed Talons. Parr stresses that the restaurant isn’t simply there for golfers, but for the entire community and he’s aggressively marketing it as a Fleming Island attraction.

“We’ve made it a restaurant for the 7,000 residents and for the entire community – from Fleming Island to Jacksonville, because this is not a private golf course or a country club. Both the golf course and the restaurant are open to the public and we want Talons to be the destination restaurant in the region,” Parr said.

Parr’s intention is for area residents to associate Eagle Harbor with Talons first and golf second. Holding private parties, organizational meetings and events such as wedding receptions is one of the ways he’s building name recognition independent of the unique menu.

“We’re really venturing into the event business, which is something we never did before,” Parr said. “Of all the event venues and restaurants in the area, nobody is as unique as Talons. When you sit down on our patio, you aren’t looking at a parking lot – you’re looking at our fountain and the bridge.”

Talon’s opened in December and Parr said it hosted about four parties each week last month. He said the restaurant hosts civic clubs such as the local Rotary Club and bar association for monthly meetings. However, Parr wants the public to know the 50 employees at Talons are open for anyone to visit.

“We serve seafood and steaks from bacon-wrapped shrimp and pan-crusted mahi-mahi to ribeye steak, but we’re also taking bar food up a couple of notches. We have burgers and wings, as well as Southern-style and Caribbean-style menu items, he said.

“When you come to Talons, you can enjoy the sports bar atmosphere or go to our dining room for a fine-dining experience.”

Talons also features Trivia Night and just recently held its first karaoke night as well.