The Captain may have departed, but the Parade continues at New London’s longtime pizza shop on Bank Street.

In the storefront that was once Captain’s Pizza, a new operation called Parade Pizza is serving much of the same fare as its predecessor — pizza, grinders and salads — with some intriguing twists. On a recent walk-by, the specials of the day included a grilled cheese with gruyere cheese, bacon and peaches. I’m not sure the word “gruyere” ever appeared on the old Captain’s menu.

Yes, you can get your basic pepperoni pie, but when I spy “Mexican Pizza” on a menu, I have to eschew the standard fare and give the fun stuff a shot. Starting with red sauce, Parade tops its Mexican pizza ($10.95 for a small; $14.95 for a large) with taco-style ground beef, tomatoes, diced onions, mozzarella cheese and then, according to the menu, a layer of lettuce after the pie is baked. The lettuce was missing from my Mex pizza, which I suspect would have added a welcome layer of coolness and crunch to the ample baked tomatoes and onions and seasoned beef, which all essentially merged into one big ingredient that mostly worked for me. I could’ve used a little more spice kick in the mix (a smattering of diced jalapeno, perhaps?), but it was a fun dish to sample. Think of it more like a flatbread-style hors d’oeuvre.

We had no complaints whatsoever about the BBQ Chicken Pizza ($10.95 for a small; $14.95 for a large) we devoured for a recent dinner, though. Cubed chicken breast well-dressed in barbecue sauce brightened up the already flavorful mix of crumbled bacon, red onion, BBQ sauce and mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses. The chef was generous with the chicken and expertly balanced it with the rest of the ingredients.

The crusts on both pies were well executed. Just a bit crisp on the outside and decked in just the right amount of oil, Parade’s pizzas sport a thicker crust that does not skimp on flavor.

Also falling into the “classic grub with a twist” category is the Meatball Salad ($8). Yes, you read that right, and you might call this the ultimate omnivore’s dish: a sizable tossed salad — mine included a beautiful array of bell peppers, cucumber carrots and greens — served with three good-sized meatballs with sauce, all sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. The salad mix was delightful, and the meatballs had great texture — soft and tender with a tasty tomato sauce — but the meat mixture could’ve benefited from more garlic and spices.

Speaking of beautiful peppers, during a recent lunch trip I sampled the steak and cheese grinder ($8 for a small; $10 for a large; $0.75 to add peppers or onions) and ate every last bite of it, partially thanks to the well-prepared orange bell peppers that were tucked into the steak and cheese. Perfectly softened and sliced, the peppers added texture and flavor to a very good mix of chopped steak and gooey cheese. Completing this wonderful dish was a soft, chewy roll that added to the overall effect of the sandwich instead of drowning the filling in starchy blandness like some steak and cheeses can do. Paired with a side dish of perfectly prepped and crispy tater tots ($3; available with cheese, scallions, bacon or sour cream) with cheese, my (late) lunch was a filling and enjoyable expedition.

As tempted as I was to try the Turkey Melt sandwich on the menu, my colleague Rick Koster beat me to the punch in a recent edition of Night & Day. In the spirit of further exploration, I opted to try the Buffalo Chicken wrap ($7.50) and feel I was as rewarded as he was. Loaded with house-breaded chicken, the wrap is balanced by lettuce, tomato, bacon and judiciously (read: perfectly) applied ranch dressing. This is a huge wrap and fed two of us (paired with the meatball salad) easily. The chicken was tender and lightly breaded, with the bacon nicely proportioned to it, offering snaps of saltiness without overdoing it. The rest of the ingredients blended very well to make every mouthful tasty and robust.

And if it’s comfort food you’re craving (tater tots aside), consider an order of the Baked Mac and Cheese ($5) on the appetizers and sides menu. You’ll get a large portion of cheesy mac that will easily serve two people, or one very hungry individual, and you will love it. No breadcrumbs are needed for this version of the classic casserole, since the chef employs great wisdom in selecting the cheese mix that binds the pasta together, which is topped with yet more cheese browned to perfection. It reminds me of the way my grandmother used to make mac and cheese, and that is a very happy memory, indeed.

Good memories abound in places like Parade Pizza, and it’s nice to have the pizza oven roaring again at this longtime pizza haven in New London. It’s even better to observe a business making sure to cater to longtime customers while luring in new ones with clever ideas and tempting specials.

PARADE PIZZA

8 Bank St., New London

(860) 439-0511

Cuisine: Pizza, sandwiches, pasta and salads

Atmosphere: Casual dining perfect for families or those looking for a quick lunch; lots of seating available. Not too different from the Captain’s Pizza days.

Service: Friendly, welcoming and prompt

Prices: Pizzas starts at $8; pasta dishes start at $9.50; the priciest item on the menu is the Hot Lobster Roll at $13.95, which is only served on Friday and Saturday

Hours: Sunday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Credit cards: Yes

Handicapped access: Fairly spacious inside the restaurant, but entrance on Bank Street presents a small bump and tight entryway and two doors