In this latest installment of my Nearby Restaurants that I Always Forget to Visit series, we’ll explore the many wonders at Aspen in Old Saybrook.

I drive by Aspen frequently, and frequently I make the mental note to visit again. I’d dined at Aspen once around 2007, when it opened, and I recall enjoying it quite a bit. Ten years later, those mental notes have piled up, so on a recent weekend, I set off to make my triumphant return to Aspen with my faithful tasting assistant.

I’m not sure what took me so long. Aspen is brought to you by the team behind Mystic Market, Latitude 41 Restaurant & Tavern, and Coastal Gourmet Catering, which should be reason enough to get in there.

We elected to sit at the bar, where patrons are welcome to order off the dinner menu. (A pub menu of finger foods also is available.) The bar area is comfortable and spacious, and we were feeling more casual than fancy. I’ll note, though, that the main dining spaces at Aspen are well executed, spacious mod-chic rooms with zero pretentiousness; plenty of folks were happily dining in their Sunday best during our visit.

Now, you know a restaurant is going to be memorable when you can’t decide what you’re NOT going to order off the menus. Faced with the pub menu, at least a dozen small plate options and an even longer entrée list, we had to huddle and talk strategy to get optimum tasting accomplished. Aided by our fabulous bartender, Kiki, we decided to go with several small plates and cocktails (another menu loaded with great options; a long wine list and a decent beer selection round out the beverage selection).

After extensive review, we landed on our pre-meal bevvies: mine a Lime Light, a perfectly balanced mix of Grey Goose vodka, fresh lime juice, white cranberry juice and soda ($12), and his, the Suburban ($12), a smoother take on a Manhattan with High West Rye Whiskey, dark rum, bitters and port. We loved both concoctions and would heartily recommend them. Don’t be put off by the white cranberry juice and the port: each is doled out with an expert touch and serves only to smooth out the more bite-y ingredients in both drinks, respectively.

As we toasted our wisdom in decision-making, our first “course” arrived, an arrangement negotiated, once again, by the equally wise Kiki. Many folks know that steamed mussels go very well with frites (which, at Aspen, deserve the fancy alias for French fries), but things move up to the next level when the frites are done in truffle oil ($8) and the mussels ($13) are steeped in white wine, mustard, saffron and shallots. The combo is a savory flavor-fest, and despite the small-plate status of both items, they are generously portioned. Paired with the starter bread and butter, our savor-flavor-fest could satisfy two folks of normal appetite. Also, the texture of the mussels was spot on, with no bad specimens in the lot. As for that bread and butter, at Aspen, it’s warmed, whipped butter topped with pink Himalayan salt with slices of rustic, crusty bread cut perfectly for dipping in that outstanding mussel broth.

Our main small plates arrived as we bid a sad farewell to the leftover broth and frite crumbs. Of course, faced with a fragrant braised short rib, among two more items, one can move on a bit more easily. The short rib is the dish we were most excited to try. Per the menu, it’s a Soy Braised Short Rib ($14), served atop crispy potato cakes, horseradish crème, fried Brussels sprout leaves, and tamari jus (the soy component of the dish). Naturally, the tender, flavorful beef was the highlight of the dish, but the accompanying mini-sides represent a masterful stroke of culinary savvy. The crispy-indeed potato cakes provided a fun foundation of texture to the beef, and the flaky, fried Brussels leaves were delicious all on their own (no, really; think: if Brussels sprouts married popcorn), but also represented well in a forkful of all the dish’s elements, adding more crispiness and a jolt of deep flavor.

Our second-place dish, Spicy Pork Dumplings ($12 for six) on the pub menu, pulled off a similar veggies-are-exciting stunt with its bed of Savoy cabbage slaw. The dumplings alone were tasty, with delicious pork filling accented with toasted sesame seeds, but when consumed with a layer of beautifully crisp, not at all pungent cabbage, dainty dumplings become heartier fare loaded with flavor. The dish comes with wasabi-yuzu dipping sauce, which is delightful, but the dumplings and cabbage stand just fine on their own.

Dish three, Greek Style Chicken Skewers ($11), caught both of our eyes early. Here’s why: it features grilled (kabob-style) chicken served in a Greek yogurt marinade on a bed of hummus, feta and diced cucumbers and tomatoes. We discovered that this dish comes off best as an ensemble. The chicken was grilled well, but it didn’t really sing with flavor until it was paired with the salty feta, crisp veggies, and silky and not too garlic-y hummus. We liked it well enough, but for us, it was better on paper. It’s possible we were too blissed out by our other samplings to appreciate the full nuance of the skewers.

We seriously didn’t think dessert would be possible, but smaller portion sizes left us both with a wee bit of belly space. And given the option of hazelnut crème brulee ($8), one makes life adjustments. More wisdom on our part: the crisp-topped custard was lovely, with the hazelnut adding a little bit of thickness and delectable flavor. A drizzle of dark chocolate added even more depth to this beautifully rendered dish.

It was a fitting encore to a wonderful meal and evening. As we said our goodnights to the waitstaff, we made a new mental note: Dinner at Aspen again, ASAP.

If you go

Aspen Restaurant & Bar 

2 Main St., Old Saybrook

(860) 395-5888

http://aspenct.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American cuisine; extensive small-plate menu and entrees

Atmosphere: Chic, stylish, and warm. Think marble counters, tablecloths, hardwood floors, and proper furniture.

Service: Excellent; friendly staff knew the menus well and provided good ordering advice.

Prices: On par with similar establishments but, given the quality of the food, reasonable. The priciest entrée is a New York strip steak at $33.

Handicapped access: There are a few doors to gain entry, but ramps and spacious construction should help. Ample parking in dedicated lot.

Hours: Lunch served Tues.-Sun., 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; dinner served Tues.–Thurs. and Sun., 5–9 p.m., and Fri.–Sat., 5–10 p.m.

Reservations: Available

Credit cards: Accepted