New London — An updated, upscale vibe wafts through the former Chaplin's restaurant on Bank Street where fresh-cut flowers are set off by black tablecloths, but the business's partners promise similarly great food.

Chaplin's & Friends Bistro, as the new 44-seat restaurant is called in a bow to local restaurateur Jack Chaplin, opened last week under the ownership of David Bureau of Westbrook, formerly executive chef of Water's Edge restaurant, and partners Richard and Laurie Haddock of Hebron. Chaplin's daughters, Rachel and Luci, also have a small stake in the business.

"We wanted to honor Jack and his family," Richard Haddock, a wholesale seafood distributor, said. "We wanted to continue with his tradition but contemporize the food."

Chaplin, who gave up his eponymous restaurant last year to open the larger Daddy Jack's next door at 181 Bank St., said he had pursued a few previous deals that didn't pan out before deciding to hand the space off to Bureau, whose talent he admired.

"They've got a pretty ambitious menu," Chaplin said.

Bureau said he plans a menu heavy on fish, including salmon, shrimp and scallops. Other dishes on the dinner menu, ranging from $16 to $32, include a signature hanger steak.

"I tried to put it together to fit the culture of the city," Bureau said. "It's a beautiful city, and the vibe down here is great."

Dave's Coffee will be served, and an on-site pastry chef will be whipping up some delicious desserts, Bureau said. Fresh bread also will be baked on site, he added.

Right now, the restaurant runs only during dinner, but Bureau was expecting to open for lunch and Sunday brunch in the coming weeks. Haddock estimated the restaurant, which has a small but well-stocked bar that includes a wide variety of Connecticut beer, would employ six to eight people initially.

The newly repainted restaurant includes a ship's bell, honoring the region's sailing and Coast Guard traditions.

Haddock said the Chaplin's name brings a lot of local goodwill, and the two eateries plan to work in harmony to develop a "restaurant sector" downtown where people will have a variety of options.

"We're trying hard to support one another," he said. "We wanted to keep it local."

Chaplin said they have even talked about collaborating by putting on "guest-chef dinners" in each other's restaurants. The restaurants, he pointed out, have very different vibes, with Chaplin's & Friends a more intimate venue and Daddy Jack's with wider-open spaces and a good-size bar.

"We got the best of both worlds going on," Chaplin said.

l.howard@theday.com

Twitter: @KingstonLeeHow

What: Chaplin's & Friends Bistro

Owners: David Bureau, Richard and Laurie Haddock, Luci and Rachel Chaplin

Where: 165 Bank St., New London

Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. weekdays; 4 to 11 p.m. weekends

Phone: (860) 990-5263

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Chaplinsandfriendsbistro