Where to Eat and What to Do in Mystic, Connecticut | Eater Boston
"At the Port of Call I picked my vibe between two distinct bars: Upstairs feels like a captain’s quarters with light filtering through red velvet curtains across warm wood paneling and a majestic curved bar made from salvaged ship wood, while Downstairs at Dive Bar is all neon signage, a vinyl record collection, vintage games, a photo booth, and even a diving suit in the corner; I appreciated that Dive focuses on cold beer and simple cocktails while Upstairs, under director Jade Ayala and in partnership with Real McCoy rum, offers more complex, tropical drinks—favorites included the smooth Boozy & Honest (mezcal, cachaça, and banana justino) and the floral Ancient Medicine, a play on the Penicillin—and the food menu by 2023 James Beard nominee Reneé Touponce was top-notch, especially cured local fish preparations and standout dishes like bacalaitos (Puerto Rican salted fluke fritters with cilantro lime foam), tender adobo-marinated beef tongue, and a snappy smoked hot dog dressed with bonito aioli and kimchi in a light double-fermented bao bun; the space is lively with performances nearly every night, from sultry jazz to disco drag shows." - Stasia Brewczynski
