Sail Away at The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic with Chef David Standridge

From what was once considered the most dangerous water park--Action Park in Vernon, NJ--to a waterway that is far less risky, way more inviting, and definitely has a more delicious restaurant, Chef Standridge knows a thing or two about pivoting throughout his career. His dossier is full and eclectic, with a range of bartending and cooking experiences in New Jersey, Manhattan, Houston, and back to New York City working with the legendary Joël Robuchon, and earning two Michelin stars. 

Like the Seinfeld show leaving on a high note, Standridge left the masses in New York and settled in the historic, tourist town of Mystic with his family two years ago. And, as he and his wife were starting a family, the timing just felt right.  The ball was rolling to open The Shipwright’s Daughter in the stunning, newly revamped hotel The Whaler’s Inn at the top of last spring, then boom, you guessed it…Pandemic. So, having to pivot even before starting, his ingenuity was put to the test. And yet now, after watching him for the better part of two days, I’m not surprised he did it. Frankly, he didn’t just do it and make it work; the restaurant is booming and is OUTSTANDING. From the ambiance and an inventive menu, to stellar service and a collaborative sensibility, this restaurant, this chef, this place, must be on every list of To Dos for Mystic, for dining, and for Connecticut. 

Despite still being so new, “deliciously consistent” is what the couple next to me said on one of my recent visits. They said they’d been coming almost weekly since the restaurant opened and are truly “in love” with the place. Now, after my time there in such a beautiful setting, I am certainly in love too.

Back to the pandemic pivot. CTbites has definitely shared with our readers the many shifts restaurants and chefs have had to endure this year; some have not been so lucky. In the case of Shipwright’s, they could not open as originally planned, but they were able to open in the meantime as  “Lil’ Sis,” a seafood shack of sorts, in the hotel lot last summer. This gave Mystic diners a little taste of what would come from the new chef in town. Chef Standridge and the Shipwright’s Daughter team utilized the gems still coming from local fishermen for the shack, while plan menus for what would finally be Shipwright’s Daughter as they envisioned, in the fall and for the holidays. That said, a few months in, the cold weather and new virus numbers created another shift and kept many diners home. “All in all,” however, “we’ve been lucky,” says Chef, and the team has been able to keep up and do what they do best: serve and create wonderful dining experiences.

Being a ridiculous Francophile, I was thrilled to partake in an event they were planning around Absinthe Day last month, so I grabbed my cliché beret and went for the weekend. Incorporating two versions of the “no longer infamous” liqueur (St. George Absinthe Verte-USA and Heritage Absinthe Verte-France), in three creative cocktails and a special four-course meal, it was an all-out Green Fairy affair. Beverage Director Mikayla Cansler left no stone unturned when creating the Absinthe cocktails or the scene we’d experience during the weekend event. Unlike the L’Absinthe painting by Edgar Degas, we had smiles on our faces, not pouts like the poor young woman in the portrait. Before and during dinner, we tried Cansler’s specialty cocktails: Bohemian Rhapsody, Kafka’s Folly, and Day’s End Decadent.  Then after dinner, up rolled the traditional Absinthe, four-spout fountain, trickling out the liqueur. My companions and I reminisced about what we knew of the liqueur’s history, its myths, and its very distinct flavor. 

The Absinthe inspired dinner was quite light, and yet, had so much depth and levels of flavor. From sweet and smoky to a hint of spice and tang, everything was there. The first course, the Roasted Oysters, was served as a green trio. It was a certain nod to the liqueur, with an Absinthe infused herb butter, sunchoke, a beautiful little crunch from ginger crumbs. Next, we enjoyed  the Stonington Scallop. I always love a buttery sweet scallop and this definitely did it for me. It was roasted in the shell, served with a sugar kelp and a foamy Absinthe cream, which gave just a kiss of the booze, but didn’t overwhelm the scallop. Next was the star: the Absinthe Spiked Bouillabaisse. Ca C’est très magnifique. Lobster, scallop, mussels, fluke, oh my. All blending and conjuring the meaning of life amidst a saffron and absinthe-infused broth, with a garlic toast as its plus one. It was a moment. The meal ended with a Dark Chocolate Absinthe Terrine, layered with lychee mousse, puffed ancient grain, and an Absinthe syrup. It was something that looked like it should be heavy, but it was cool, light, and not too sweet.

For another dinner, I chose to sit at the bar and watch the kitchen. Three hours went by in a flash, and, despite Chef being on his feet checking every dish, there was a calm about the kitchen that blew me away. To have so much passion and creativity and yet, remain so fluid and calm despite a packed--yet, Covid safe--restaurant, was an impressive sight. Here, I had another four-course tasting, which yet again showed off the creativity of Chef and his team, and made stars out of fresh, local ingredients. This is clearly a real priority for Chef Standridge, and you can see it in how often the menu changes, as it is based on what is available from nearby farmers and fishermen. I love when courses are a few rich, but small and hearty bites. The first course was a Beet Pickled Deviled Egg with a Crispy Clam, and Espelette Pepper.

The couple I was sitting next to and I joked about how we could have easily popped half a dozen of those in our mouths. What a gorgeous, crunchy pop of the sea! Then came a course of Beef Carpaccio with Pommes Frites. Sliced mandolin-thin, herbed butter in between a mountain of layers, cut into rectangular sticks, then fried in chicken fat. (Frankly, I’m thinking of writing an Ode to Chicken Fat). There are just no words for the crunch. From such a mouthful, I moved to the third course, Stonington Scallops with Apples, and a Sweet Potato Puree. The smooth and sweet of the fruit and veggies, on top of the smooth and sweet from the scallops, truly melted on the tongue.

Amanda Arling, the president of The Whaler’s Inn, has experienced a lot of firsts in a relatively short period of time while refurbishing the historic inn to now; but, when she first met Standridge and he created an impromptu meal out of just a few ingredients and with very little equipment, she admits, she knew then they hired the right chef for The Shipwright’s Daughter. 

Oh yes, they did.

The Shipwright’s Daughter
20 East Main Street
Mystic
Shipwrightsdaughter.com
 860-536-7605
@shipwrightsdaughter