116 Crown Is One Of New Haven’s Coolest Joints

What do you like in a bar?

Beyond wine and beer, I’m not much of a drinker. The occasional sangria aside, I order a mixed drink about as often as a hurricane strikes American shores. If I had a dollar for every mixed drink I ordered during the past year, I couldn’t buy the Sunday Times. I don’t drink without eating, and I find wine and beer to be far more food-friendly than most mixed drinks.

So what I like in a bar is a good wine list, some interesting beer choices, but most of all—appealing food. And, of course, I need an ambiance conducive to the enjoyment of good wine, interesting beer and appealing food. Attentive service and an interesting clientele don’t hurt, either. In other words, I’m looking for a terrific restaurant disguised as a bar.

In the greater New Haven area, the best restaurant disguised as a bar might well be 116 Crown, which of course is named for its street address.

Based on its exterior appearance and the positioning of its hostess station just inside the front door,

one could argue that 116 Crown is more bar disguised as restaurant than restaurant disguised as bar. Whatever. All that means is that the establishment wears both hats comfortably.

In fact, 116 Crown isn’t just a bar cum restaurant, it’s also a lounge. Check out this seating area by the front window.

Then check out these photos of the “tea room” in the back where small groups can gather.

Even the main dining area features seating in which comfort is clearly paramount.

116 Crown has many other interesting features. The bar is made from backlit translucent marble that reminds one of Yale University’s famous Beinecke Rare Book Library. Try to disregard my friend Kristen (sitting at the bar) and my friend Bob (sitting in one of 116 Crown’s fiberglass pods constructed by a local shipbuilder).

The bar seems to be busy much of the time, and customers do a lot of eating, as well as drinking, there.

There are unexpected video feeds, including one strategically placed in the men’s room which takes in much of the bar area. Perfect, I thought. An insecure fellow could actually observe how his date comports herself (or himself) in his absence.

I stated earlier that I’m not much of a mixed drink person, but 116 Crown’s reputation for high-quality drinks persuaded me to try one. Topped by a bright orange cape gooseberry, my Church Key made of Aalborg Akavit, passion fruit purée, ginger simple syrup and apple cider foam served on the rocks was incredibly tasty and refreshing.

116 Crown is known for using top-flight ingredients, for squeezing fresh citrus juices daily, for creating its own syrups and for exclusively using Kold-Draft full cube filtered ice. The restaurant also has an interesting boutique wine list (e.g. Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli, País Vasco, Spain) and craft beer list (e.g. Chimay Cinq Cents).

But with me, sooner or later it will come down to the food. And the tapas-style Mediterranean menu executed by chef Marissa Peluso is rather odd and very good. It’s worth being on 116 Crown’s mailing list because one learns of specials that don’t seem to show up on its website. My friend Bob and I were drawn by a Thursday night special in late August. For $16, one received an incredibly fresh organic green salad with citrus vinaigrette,

a batch of light crisp fries graced with fresh chives, Parmigiano Reggiano and white truffle oil and accompanied by ramekins of ketchup and aïoli,

and finally, Pineland Farms all-natural beef short ribs that were slow-roasted for two days and finished in a red wine sauce. Off to the side were chunks of Cabrales blue cheese and citrus wedges that, for me, functioned as a small dessert course.

Our dinner special was terrific, but we also tried some other items along the way to get a better sense of the kitchen’s capabilities. Tempura-battered squash blossoms filled with fresh ricotta, basil and sea salt were just heavenly.

A farmer’s pizzette was topped with a really great tomato sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano and a fried egg, the yolk supposed to be pierced so it could run across the pizza.

Even more singular was roasted bone marrow with toasts and gray salt.

I could almost detect my cholesterol numbers rising with each tiny spoonful of bone marrow, but it was sinfully good.

Behind this appealing bar-restaurant-lounge is husband-and-wife team John and Danielle Ginnetti, a twosome who, by the look of things, will soon become a threesome.

For that, and for developing one of New Haven’s more intriguing establishments, congratulations to them both!

116 Crown, 116 Crown Street, New Haven, 203-777-3116