Editor's note: This version adds the reviewer's byline.

One might not expect to find a good French 75 cocktail at your basic public house, but Old Lyme’s latest addition to the local tavern universe is anything but basic.

Yes, the bar area is an expansive-yet-cozy, dark-wood-accented den (with a few tables throughout) not unlike other taverns, but modern updates on the tables, chairs and decorative accents let the new visitor know there will be more than meat, taters and mead coming from the kitchen.

There are many bottled beers, wines by the glass (some local) and even wine on tap available from the bar, but a cleverly rendered cocktail menu drew my group in immediately. With an illustration of a taste-bud map noting just how sweet, salty, sour, bitter each cocktail on the list was, we covered decent ground. My Public House Margarita, made with Patron, lime juice, Cointreau and “floating salt foam,” provided just the right mix of citrus-salty sour. It is among the best I’ve ever had — and that’s a good thing, because a $12 cocktail ought to satisfy. Also, while delicious, a $12 cocktail also ought to be a bigger pour than the current standard at Public House. Ditto for my companion’s equally yummy French 75 ($12), a perfectly balanced, not too sweet mix of Bombay Sapphire, lemon juice and Prosecco served with a rock candy stirrer; and my husband’s Pistol Smoke ($12), made with Basil Hayden bourbon, vanilla tobacco, lemon, and chamomile tea: Loads of points for style and flavor but a little Spartan on the serving size.

The appetizer list is so creative, we couldn’t decide whether to have several of them for dinner or to share a few and press on with full meals. We went with the latter strategy in an effort to explore as much of the menu as possible.

The boys both voted for the Wild Boar Spring Rolls ($10), which were expertly fried, abundantly flavorful and a universal hit among four very different eaters.

The girls voted for the Beer Cheese Dip ($9), served with sliced bread (rubbed with oil and garlic) and cornichons, and it was another victory. Bright orange and perfectly warm, a pleasant base of beer flavor elevated this dip from guilty pleasure to tasty no-brainer for next time. One complaint: we were a table of four, and the dip came with about 5 to 6 slices of that delicious bread, which we finished quickly (not so much the cornichons). The cheese dip was so enjoyable, we wanted to be able to finish it up, so we asked for more bread and our waitress cheerfully acquiesced. Only when we got our bill did we see that we’d been charged $1 for the extra bread — a charge we all would’ve preferred to have known about before the check presentation. And really, how expensive can bread be?

On a similar note, the two soups we ordered — the house French Onion ($8) and the day’s special, Black Bean ($6) — as pre-dinner nosh arrived without accompanying bread or crackers, which would’ve amplified the wonderful experience of both of them. The black bean soup was bright and tomato-y — my preference — and a healthy amount of what tasted like cumin delivered zest and a bit of heat amid other well-selected veggies, all of which were pureed with the black beans to make for a smoother version of the soup.

As for the French Onion, Public House’s recipe is the one to beat for me. The broth was smoky yet sweet and not overrun by what often can be unwieldy onions. We also wondered if some beer made its way into the soup base. Mildly pungent cheese atop the crock offset the savories beneath beautifully.

Among the entrees we sampled, I’ll start with my favorite, a braised pork butt ($17) from the specials list that was so delicious, I ended up sharing with my husband, who ordered it. Prepared with Asian five-spice seasoning and topped with crumbled pecans, the pork was booming with flavor, juicy and tender with just a bit of char on its edges. Served atop yummy bok choy and a bed of perfectly cooked and fragrant basmati rice (which went very well with the pecans), this dish was beyond satisfying and is highly recommended if it appears on the specials again.

My selection of the chicken tacos ($14) became the ultimate safe bet: satisfying, but no fun. They were prepared very well — with tomato salsa, chipotle, sour cream and three cheeses within lightly grilled tortillas — and the serving of well-stuffed two tacos was generous, but I was hoping for a little more flavor nuance from the sum of those parts. Still, a nice, light dish like that is a good option to have on a hearty menu like Public House’s.

Speaking of hearty fare, from the menu’s “Boards” list — cuts of meat or veggies served on cutting boards with three sauces and a side — my friend’s steak board ($22) turned out to be a great choice. She ordered hers medium rare, and it ended up on the rare side of that spectrum, which was her ideal rendering. I tend to want a little less pink in my steaks and burgers, but when I sampled the tender hanger steak, whose natural flavors hardly necessitated the sauces or much seasoning, I saw the error of my ways. Coupled with the French fries (nothing special, but enjoyable) and the outstanding chimichurri sauce, beer cheese and pub sauce (a sweet and zesty steak sauce kind of dip), three out of four of us absolutely loved this item. (My friend’s husband was too busy with his lobster mac and cheese — another special at $24 — to delve into the steak. As a non-fan of lobster, I did not sample the lobster mac.)

None of us could really consider a big dessert after all that food, but my wise friend insisted we try the Grown-Up Root Beer Float ($10) on the dessert list. Made with Small Town Brewery’s excellent “Not Your Father’s Root Beer” Ale — you would never know there’s 5.9 percent booze in the mix — and a scoop of vanilla gelato, we decided a dessert cocktail was the perfect compromise; plus, we split it four ways. It was another great choice — the root beer spices were a great digestif, and who doesn’t love a wee bit of vanilla at the end of a meal? It was the perfect end to a great meal, and we all agreed to return to the Public House as soon as possible for another culinary adventure.

The Public House

The Public House

90 Halls Road, Old Lyme

(860) 390-6181

Best online source of info so far is Facebook; the website www.thepublichousect.com only seems to lead to a landing page

Cuisine: Classed up pub fare; hearty dinner menu includes many beef and seafood options

Atmosphere: Rustic chic decor makes expansive dining room and bar area feel cozy; some outdoor seating available

Service: Friendly

Prices: Dinners run from $13 (Patty Melt) to $26 (Orange Miso Salmon); salads run from $7 to $16; appetizers average approximately $10; our cocktails (selected from a cocktail menu) were $12 each

Hours: Monday, 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays; Wednesday - Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Credit Cards: Yes

Reservations: No, but the restaurant has a room available for private parties of six or more

Handicapped access: No stairs to enter; entrance is a short distance from wide open parking lot of Halls Road shopping center; curb cuts located near door