Groton — A new restaurant will open in downtown Mystic in the next two weeks, and owners Dan Van Kruiningen and Ken Fontaine have a few ideas to set it apart from the rest: Free bacon strips at the bar, mini desserts served in shot glasses and 28-day, dry-aged steaks.

“We’re also going to have nightlife, so we will be open until 1 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday,” said Van Kruiningen of Old Mystic. 

The restaurant, Chapter One Fine Food & Drink, will open at 11 a.m. daily. It will take the space at 32 W. Main St. formerly occupied by Azu Restaurant & Bar.

Van Kruiningen owned the Tongue and Groove in Stonington in 2004 and 2005, and ran Margaritas Mexican Restaurant in Mystic for six years, until 2001. He also opened Lucky’s Lounge, The Dubliner and Ultra 88 Night Club in Mohegan Sun. He now oversees the facilities of 70 Cracker Barrel Old Family Store restaurants. His wife, Lisa, co-owns Crop, a boutique hair salon on Cottrell Street in Mystic.

Fontaine, of Stonington, owns the Norwich Bowling & Entertainment Center and serves as chief executive officer of AMGRAPH Packaging Inc., a business in Baltic which he co-owns with his siblings.

The two said they'd talked about opening a restaurant for awhile, but actually took the step after learning that Kris Gingerella, the former owner of Guytanno’s International Restaurant in Westerly, had sold his business, and was available to be their chef. 

The Mystic space also became available.

“I’ve always thought about it, but it’s a risky business," Fontaine said about opening a restaurant. “It's kind of tough to do it on your own. But I guess the stars aligned.”

The 90-seat restaurant will offer an international menu; a bit of Italian, a bit of Asian, a bit of French. It will also serve bacon strips at the bar, between dinner and nightlife.

“I’ve seen it elsewhere and I’m happy to say that nobody around here does it,” Van Kruiningen said. “It’s going to be a hit.”

Entrees will include dry-aged steak, or beef put through a process that allows moisture to escape, concentrating the flavor and breaking down some of the connective tissue, softening the meat. The restaurant will also offer shot-glass sized portions of dessert.

“So instead of feeling gluttonous after you feel like you’ve overdone it, we’ll have dainty ones that will only be three bites,” Van Kruiningen said. “We’re going to serve them flight style. So you can pick them individually, or order the whole tray if you have seven or eight people, and try a little bit of everything.”

The owners are still discussing the restaurant's opening date.

d.straszheim@theday.com