Having moved to New London in 1997 as The Day's music writer, I spent plenty time in the immortal El 'n' Gee Club. I felt perfectly at home inside the Gee. It had all the proper atmospheric requirements that provided a sense of comfort: an ear-melting sound system; walls painted in what looked and smelled like sour black beer; the eerie dankness of the Sedlec Ossuary; sticky floors like petri dishes; the sort of gummy nicotine presence undoubtedly encountered by the medical examiner during the autopsy of Humphrey Bogart; and restrooms that should have been off-limits without CDC-endorsed biohazard suits.

The Gee closed years ago, but — rather like nuclear regulatory scientists warning folks to stay away from Chernobyl for 20 years before the All-Clear — I waited a while before trying the visionary RD86 Space restaurant that opened in the building. Having now done so, I feel bad at all the time I missed.

RD86 Space, which opened in 2018, serves dinner Wednesday through Saturday and long brunches on weekends, and there's an educational component to the staff in which employees are encouraged to learn culinary and hospitality skills as part of their jobs and pursuant to their own future careers. Similarly, the restaurant hosts and evolving series of, as per their Facebook page, "event-based experiences (centered) around food, music, and art in downtown New London."

This past Tuesday, for example, Chef Robert Ramsay teamed with David Dorfman, head of the Connecticut College Dance Department. They hosted the first in the restaurant's new "Awakening the Senses" series with a presentation combining food, talk and movement — all based around the upcoming premiere of "A(Way) Out of My Body" by the Dorfman Dance troupe. RD86 also offers discounts in conjunction with other New London events such as the Garde Arts Center's Winter Cinema Series. And look for the Space's celebration of Chinese New Year with special menu and thematic activities from Jan. 22-Feb.1.

Whatever's happening — and that includes just dropping by to eat — you'll feel completely at home. The interior is a large, airy banquet-style room with dark, house-constructed picnic tables laid out both latitudinally and longitudinally. They're placed on polished plank floors beneath a sky high, industrial/warehouse ceiling. Décor includes framed art work and festive strings of lights placed on three walls of gleaming barn board, and a hostess counter featured baskets of pumpkins and apples along with a stunningly attractive apple pie.

Taking up a sizeable chunk of the hard-left floor space is an open rectangle housing both the kitchen and bar, with tall stools on the exterior for diners/drinkers who want to watch the action on the line and hear the sizzle of the food preparation. Outside is a patio where, in the summer, a smoker and grill go into overdrive with seasonal creations and there's frequently live music.

Our party of three comprised the only diners on a recent Wednesday. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, the whole staff made us feel like special guests; theirs is a sort of communal approach to service, so we felt the love from several folks. This included an "amuse bouche" sample of  Salmon Rillette — a mound of velvety slivers of fish in the creamy titular paste and served with thin toast wafers. Not sure what the French means, but I was happily amused, all right.

The weekly menu features seven starters, seven main courses, sides and desserts that typically include vegetarian, seafood, fowl and beef. To go with the generously proffered Rillete, we ordered a Wild Mushroom and Carmelized Onion Tart ($9). My fungus-happy compatriots report the tart was delicately rendered and the two main components were a nice savory/sweet contrast. With goat cheese crumbled on top, pine nuts, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar adding to the celebration, it all worked wonderfully in a delicate and flaky pastry. One observation: The outer edges could have been crispier, but I'm told that's a small thing.

My wife Eileen, The Vegetarian Who Walks Among Us (TVWWAU), decided to carry on the theme with her entree, Roasted Oyster Mushroom Pasta ($17), and was rewarded with heaps of perfectly al dente ribbons of fresh pappardelle with succulent mushrooms and a fragrant and rich truffle cream sauce.

The Two Of Us Left Who Aren't Vegetarians (TTOULWAV) shared an order of Herb Garlic Brined Chicken Breast ($18) and Cast Iron Steak Frites ($28). The former was the perfect dish for a cold winter night — sophisticated comfort food, you might say. The marinade gave the chicken a rich and alluring flavor, and it sat on creamy mashed potatoes that soaked up the juices. Nestled against the potatoes were glazed, not-too-sweet carrots, their bright color adding to the aesthetics of the dish. And special note must be made of the seductive pan gravy that pulled it all together.

The steak, a large New York Strip, was indeed medium rare with a nice, crusty veneer and a mellow interior. I found the cut a bit tough in places but rich with a herb butter reduction. Bonus inspiration: a stalk of crisped thyme whose brittle and woodsy taste was an outstanding contrast with each bite. The accompanying steak fries were wonderful, particularly dipped in Worstershire-style house steak sauce.

Two desserts were magnificent. A Flourless Chocolate Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream and Fresh Raspberries ($7) was dense with dark choco flavor and subtly nuanced by the fruit and whipped cream. And a monstrous slab of Cast Iron Apple Pie with Salted Caramel ($8, $10 with a dip of vanilla bean ice cream) was just ridiculously amazing. We were reminded of respective grandmothers (RIP) for whom, heretofore, magical apple pies were their private domain.

TVWWAU and I dropped by over the weekend for brunch. It was one of those brilliant May days — except for the fact it was early January — and folks were sitting in the dog-friendly RD86 courtyard with their hounds. We sat inside — capacity crowd! — and enjoyed leisurely greatness.

Eileen had the Smoked Apple Sage Smoked Vegan Sausage Breakfast ($15) and was delighted by the faux meat option. The sausage was delicious; the eggs were poached with a perfect touch; and home fries dazzled with a bit of char, onion and lightly cooked red peppers. There was a warm kale salad, to boot, and farm bread to soak it all up. E said, "One of the best breakfasts I have ever had, no hyperbole."

I tried the Biscuit BLT ($15) and was rewarded with a huge, warm biscuit, leafy arugala, fresh tomato and a heap of (as requested) extra crispy bacon — all shepherded by paprika honey aioli. My pretty side salad included kale and dried cranberries; it was a clever compliment to the BLT.

In many ways, visionary restauranteurs are ushering in a renaissance in New London dining. RD86 Space is at the forefront.

RD86 Space

86 Golden St. New London

(860) 574-9335

Cuisine: Self-described "multi-cuisine" with new menus weekly based on available fresh products 

Atmosphere: Like a hipster's New York City loft if it was transported to rustic Vermont, with a seasonal patio adding to the casual fun; bonus for green awareness in "doggie bags" and paper straws

Service: Amazing; the standard designations of restaurant positions are blurred as everyone pitches in at all levels

Hours: Dinner 4-10 p.m. Wed.-Sat., brunch 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. and Sun.

Handicapped access: One front door, level, and plenty of room for maneuvering

Prices: Reasonable for the portions and quality; entrees $16-$28 and starters $6-$16

Reservations: For large parties

Credit cards: All majors