La Plage Opens at The Inn At Longshore on Westport's Waterfront

La Plage is officially open in Westport. The Inn at Longshore and the adjoining restaurant were recently acquired by the Greenwich Hospitality Group, the parent company of the Delamar hotels and restaurants. La Plage is their gift to Westport.

Pronounced plah-je, plage is the French word for beach, and a fitting name when you have a French chef at the helm in the kitchen. Until recently the restaurant was home to Pearl at Longshore which shuttered its doors in January. The interior has undergone a bit of a facelift to embrace its new coastal, casual vibe. Gone is the darker, refined and urban inspired décor which has been replaced with brighter white-washed walls, wicker lampshades and a livelier, beachier ambiance. Queue in the steel brass drums perhaps, but this isn’t your piña colada/Cheeseburger in Paradise type joint. This upscale yet casual eatery is best perhaps described as a beachy chic shack of sorts.  

This waterfront restaurant and oyster bar offers a casual cuisine that focuses on locally harvested seafood, shellfish, as well as garden fresh produce and sustainable meats in a relaxed yet upscale atmosphere.

The menu draws its inspiration of Chef Frederick Keiffer who is now dividing his time between the new eatery and Southport’s Artisan restaurant at The Delamar. You’ll see a vastly different menu here as the focus is the raw bar – and to be much appreciated by seafood fans. While the menu is indeed more focused, carnivores will find a burger option, Steak Frites and a chicken dish. 

Last week we were invited to see the new space and sample some of the new items. We sat down with Michael Ryan, Co-owner of La Plage, to talk about his visions for the restaurant and Inn while Chef Frederick brought out some items from the raw bar.  We slurped an assortment of delicious, briny oysters, dipped Maine Steamers in garlicky drawn butter, and enjoyed gorgeous jumbo shrimp. For those who aren’t particularly keen on raw bars, there’s plenty of other options to choose from.

Let me recommend a delightful Golden Gazpacho made from yellow tomatoes, cucumber and avocado topped with baby pepitas and croutons. The Simply Heirloom Tomatoes were freshly purchased from the Westport Farmers Market that morning. (When not at the WFM Chef Frederick sources his produce from local farms.) A light drizzle of Dijon vinaigrette and Maldon salt enhanced the tomatoes natural sweetness. Such a simple dish and so incredibly delicious. The next is cause for celebration, and a must for every table - The Crispy Artichokes, with burratina, prosciutto, lemon emulsion and a Calabrian essence stole the show. These bite-size treats were delicate, light and tender.  The delicate buttery burratina and the salty prosciutto all played beautifully together. 

The Grilled Pinza with Bailey Hazen blue cheese, figs, arugula and spicy honey was another showstopper. These personal-sized mini pizzas can be shared as an appetizer or eaten alone as a main course. Let me also suggest the Vegan Tart, and please don’t let the word vegan scare you! This delicious dish made from beans, eggplant, tomato, spinach and a golden Romesco sauce is light enough to eat on a warm summer day, yet comforting enough to be enjoyed during the cooler months.  I loved the flavor profile and textures. 

What’s the meal without dessert? We ended the evening with the Ile Flottante, (translated, Floating Island) with egg whites that are whipped up a mile high to create a light and fluffy meringue, and served with a vanilla English cream and caramel almonds, and the Lemon Panna Cotta, tart and creamy with a layer of strawberries and a pistachio white chocolate biscotti was the perfect end note.

The patio below opens for business this week with lite bites and cocktails. They are working on bringing in music for Sunday afternoons. See ya there.

La Plage at the Inn At Longshore 260 Compo Road South, Westport, CT 06880 203-684-6232