From the Atlantic to the Pacific in Middletown

I thought it was going to be a quiet evening, till Masselli emailed to remind me about our weekly martini get together (a tradition that is only a few weeks old - but it was my turn to buy, and Masselli wasn't about to let me off the hook). Tonight, for starters, we checked out the hot new restaurant and jazz club, Fishbone Café on Court Street. The interior of the bar and restaurant downstairs is low-key impressive, and the owners Ted Tine and Rosie Prue have also put in a cool club room upstairs for jazz and blues performances. I am definitely looking forward to the music scene there. And when the weather warms up, there are also decks upstairs and down for outside lounging. Apparently a 'Tiki Bar' is also in the offing. Should be loads of fun. And the front of the restaurant, facing Court Street, has a retractable garage door that will open the interior onto the sidewalk in pleasant weather. A well-thought-out design.

We had some nice martinis, and to top things off we tried the conch fritters - a recipe that Tine brought up from Key West. Delectable. We looked at the menu too, even though I was soon due at home. The meals look fabulous, and I cannot wait to return. For those of you who prefer land animals or vegetable fare, there are lots of options from above sea level. Here's their website, some of which is still under construction.

By now the place was starting to fill up with the dinner crowd. Just before we left we ran into some friends who had already heard exciting things about the menu (the place has only been open a few days, so news travels fast!). On our way out, Masselli insisted that I see the new interior of Mikado (on Melilli Plaza, between Court and Washington). My protests notwithstanding, in we went. Unbelievable! Hard to believe that we are in a depression (okay okay, recession), what with all these sleek new nightlife options. Mikado's renovation is lovely: new stone work on the walls, tile on the floor, the water streaming down the stone facing in the entrance, and the plant life beneath the floor. So Masselli insisted we try the Sushi bar and some warm sake. Well, I'm a sucker for sake. We also tried the firehouse rolls and the California rolls. Both were excellent, but the firehouse (with Tuna) were, frankly, to die for. Absolutely mouth-watering. You can check out the menu and some images on their current website. And we had a nice chat with Bob, the owner, who regaled us with stories of his three-month renovation. (Believe me Bob, I can relate: we've been renovating our house for ten years now, with no end in sight.)

A great night out from coast to coast in Central Connecticut.

Special Exception for a New Nightclub

UPDATE ON THURSDAY, JULY 24: Last night, the PZC voted to approve the special exception to open a nightclub, with the conditions that were recommended by the Planning department (see below).


Tonight the Planning and Zoning Commission will consider an application for a Special Exception to create a nightclub on the second floor at 106-110 Court Street, between Main Street and DeKoven Drive. The applicant, Ted Tine, is planning to operate a seafood restaurant on the first floor, and is proposing what he calls a "jazz lounge" on the second floor.

Students of our local zoning code will know that "restaurants" are permitted outright in our downtown (the B-1 zone). Some of our downtown restaurants also have a lively bar and have musical entertainment -- but as long as they offer a full menu, they still count as restaurants. But when there is more focus on the alcohol & entertainment than on the food, that becomes a "nightclub". Middletown used to permit nightclubs in the downtown without any restrictions. But, the PZC changed that in 1994, and they now require any new nightclubs to receive a "Special Exception" before they can open. This process allows the Commission to consider the neighboring uses and any potential disturbances before they permit the new business to open (of course, any business that serves alcohol has to receive a state permit as well). Personally, I think this was an excellent step for downtown, and contributed to our development as a restaurant destination, instead of a bar destination, which was more the case in the 1980's (Anyone remember Sal's?)

In this case, the PZC will hear from Mr. Tine that he plans to attract an older, after-dinner crowd that wants to sit and have a glass of wine or cognac while listening to jazz or blues music. He's renovating a building that has been vacant for a long time, and clearly has made a significant investment. I toured the space and he seems to be making nice use of the high exposed ceilings and brick walls. This new use has the support of the Chamber and the Downtown Business District. Mr. Tine apparently has a long history of running similar establishments in Provincetown, Massachusetts, most recently the Euro Island Grill.

Tonight, the PZC may decide to approve or deny the Special Exception, or they can approve it with conditions -- which would allow the new business to move forward while protecting the City's interests at the same time. The conditions which have been proposed by the Planning Department would state that the "Special Exception" approval of the new nightclub would be rescinded if there were violations regarding public health or fire codes, or issues regarding under-age drinking, and that a change in ownership or concept would require a new Special Exception.

I think these conditions are wise, as we try to balance the interests of all the components of downtown, and should not interfere at all with Mr. Tine's plans to open his club. If you'd like to comment or watch the proceedings, come to the Planning and Zoning Meeting at 7 pm tonight at City Hall.