Shuck Yeah! Chef Emily Mingrone Strikes Again-Fair Haven Oyster Company is Now Open

Well, Connecticut. Your gal Emily Mingrone did it again. The one so rightly deemed our latest Chef of the Year has now brought you seaside with Fair Haven Oyster Company along the Quinnipiac River. She gives us cozy date nights with Tavern on State; she brings us into the kitchen with Provisions on State, and is now taking us to the water.

Barely two weeks old, her latest venture with business partner and libation genius Shane McGowan is satisfying CT gourmands just in time for summer and for that much-longed-for taste of fresh seafood and just-plucked-from-the-garden veggies.

Many might be surprised to know, but the idea for Fair Haven was brewing well before her award-winning spot Tavern on State came to be. “I’ve been in Connecticut my whole life,” says Mingrone, “so summer lobster rolls, steamers and oysters are something I look forward to every year. [Even though] seafood spots dot the shoreline, there’s really nowhere in New Haven like Fair Haven.  With its small, “stop in and enjoy” atmosphere, there’s nothing grandiose or overwhelming about the location or the menu (let alone dear Chef Mingrone, tbh) “I always had this idea in the back of my mind, to create an elevated New England seafood experience.” 

Finding a location for the experience Chef wanted to deliver ended up being an easier venture than the horror stories many of us have heard.” Luckily for us,” Mingrone says,  “[the] new owners who recently took over the marina are regular guests at Tavern. They approached us regarding the space after seeing [our] affinity for delivering quality food and drink in such a small, intimate space.” Fair Haven is even smaller than Tavern, a restaurant well noted for its small cozy setting. It took eight months and a much-needed facelift but the new tenants of the marina have brought FHO to life and since its public opening on June 28th, they are hitting it out of the park. Or, should I say, off the dock?

Cheers!
Shane McGowan is already well-known for his inventive bar program, so to decide which of his spectacular creations in FHO’s Shaken menu or the Stirred menu to try really sent our group into a frenzy. If you know McGowan’s hand, it is generous, so I warn you: these are not small portions of booze. Already bewitched by the Medicina Latina with tequila, mezcal, ginger, honey, and lemon I struggled with what to try next. Wait, do I get a second of that one—it does mean medicine, right—or my fella’s River Maiden with the cool name and gin, shōchu, dry vermouth, and nori-kelp brine which had a surprising savory note? I stuck with the medicine but tasted the others. Another delicious cocktail surprise was the Swan Dive with gin, Pedro Ximenez sherry, orgeat, celery, lemon, fennel pollen. Fennel pollen? Wow, what was a fresh, zingy surprise.

Let’s Eat

In order to further enjoy  (and soak up) that full-bodied, delicious booze, we dove right into our fresh bread and butter with a side of tinned Mussels in Escabeche and our selection from the raw bar: various Oysters, of course, like Prince Edwards, Kusshis, and Stratford Points, and likely the most jumbo Jumbo Shrimp around all served with Zab’s tangy hot sauce and a nori vinaigrette.   Thought of the moment: Is there anything better in Connecticut than sunset, seaside, and some of the best seafood around. I think not.

We then got Bag of Steamers and began diving into them with the clam broth and butter. We were earning our keep, so to speak, as we sucked the babies out and piled up our shells.

Rewarded already by everything so far, our hearts skipped a beat as we moved on to the most beautiful, simple and elegant dishes of Crudo: Raw Scallops with olive oil, lemon, sea salt & fine herbs and Raw Tuna with horseradish, white balsamic & capers. Each was bright, sliced perfectly, and could not have tasted more fresh with just a kiss from their earthy accompaniments.

Marina Escobar of Seed Your Soul, a new CT-based business that helps people create kitchen gardens, knows a thing or two about food and joined me (with our fellas) on my Fair Haven escapade. To Escobar, who has managed her family’s Colombian restaurant–even cooked on the Food Network as a guest–and has traveled extensively as a former executive with ESPN, fresh food that sings on its own is a priority. “Mingrone’s tuna and scallop crudo took me back to Norway where I had had the freshest and sweetest crudo I’ve ever tasted. Until Now.” Escobar continues, “It was beautifully plated and I could taste every drop of olive oil and the freshness of every herb.”  

When we moved onto the Tomato & Cucumber Salad with charred corn, ricotta salata, calabrian chili vinaigrette and basil, Escobar noted how much the charred corn elevated the salad.

At this point, we were primed for the heartier dishes like the Beer Battered Hake, Grilled Black Bass. These were beautifully cooked, light yet filling. However, I was continuously drawn to the sides which Chef Mingrone treats as stars. TRUTH: it is one of the things I most enjoy about her food. Some of the side items which often become after thoughts are treated with respect and are allowed to have a starring role. The Fennel Slaw? Summer Squash Ragout? Salsa Verde? Or, my favorite side, the toasted Farro? It’s the perfect blend of earthy and creamy; it was just as much a winner as the gorgeous bass it surrounded.

And although many can’t pass up a good weenie, I can. But, I did delight in the bacon aioli, chili relish, and fermented cabbage abutting said weenie. There was enough of a zing and zang in those sides, a foot-long anything couldn’t sway me. 

We know we can’t go anywhere by the water in CT without trying a lobster roll. And, like the pizza in our state, people get very sensitive, so I’ll just say this: Being the Libra that Chef is [wink, wink….fellow Librans know the scale is the sign’s symbol] she aims to create balance and please all sides. There’s a hot and a cold Lobster Roll. You can’t go wrong: both are generously delivered with every component thoughtfully prepared. BUT DAMN! Creme Fraiche and Salmon Roe on top of the cold sam? The end.

Sweet Finish

There were four of us, there are four desserts on the menu, so all four made their way to the table. Chef mentioned that when thinking of dessert, the comforts of her past and family came to mind. In that vein, each of us had a clear winner, conjured by a personal connection from the treats of our past. Former baker of Scratch in Milford, Kate Donato, has joined the team at FHO to bring sweet treats to life. “We have been collaborating to create a menu that is both comforting and elevated at the same time,” says Mingrone, “And she is crushing it!” There are a couple of classics like Key Lime Pie, and a Chocolate Mousse. Escobar was bowled over by the Cherry Lime Italian Ice with Lime Sugar. The combo was fresh and unexpected; we were reminded of tea. And I wanted to curl up alongside the soft warm biscuit of the Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla Whip, to me, the perfect sweet bite on a dock in the summer.

Small but mighty, Fair Haven Oyster Co will satisfy the need for great nosh, with a side of cool breeze, and a view of a tiny boat-filled marina. Get there in time to catch the sunset and your evening is truly made. Knowing that the food would be wonderful is one thing; but to still come away with little surprises? That elevates the whole experience. And, that’s just one of many things Chef Mingrone and her talented New Haven team does so well. 

Fair Haven Oyster Co
307 Front Street; New Haven
203.745.5741

Open Tuesday – Saturday 4pm- 9pm

fairhavenoysterco.com