We’ve been meaning to try Chaplin’s, and on Friday night we finally made it to the Bank Street restaurant.

Once inside, on a busy night, the place had the feeling not unlike a Mystic bistro. Diners sipping wine, engaged in lively discussions at tables, with white table clothes, grouped close together in the small storefront.

A peek at the menu, though, showed un-Mystic like prices: salmon picatta, $14; shrimp scampi, $15; sea scallops, $16. We both started with cups of soup: split pea and New London crab and corn chowder ($3 each). For entrees we picked chicken Francaise ($12) and a sea bass special. Both came with veggies and mashed potatoes.

The entrees weren’t huge, but they were excellently prepared and still left us too full for dessert.

With the front door propped open, we could hear the trains going by, and down the alleyway next to the Salvation Army store we could see the lights of Electric Boat across the river.

A very enjoyable night in the city, and with the bill (before tax and tip) coming in under $60, an affordable night out.