Blueberry Crème Brule at Ed’s

I’m always excited to hear about another lobsta-shack opening in Manhattan. Sure, $23 lobster rolls make no sense to anyone with a down-east mentality; but then again, we are New Yorkers, and irrationality has never stopped us from doing anything.

Plus, a new seafood joint is bound to alert the media and bring about the age-old debate: “who has the best lobster roll in town?” Mary’s Fish Camp and Pearl Oyster Bar always make the headlines, being the oldest and having the most scandal and spin-offs (Fights! Break-ups! Revenge!). But the possibility of the newbie sweeping all the awards is always entertainment to read about and to taste test.

I’ve been to Ed’s Lobster Shack twice, and both times, its been packed to the brim. People are filling into this railroad restaurant each night to get a taste of the newest lobster roll, brought to them by Ed, a Pearl Oyster Bar veteran, of course.

Everything on the menu is perfectly tasty. Nothing is exceptional or novel, but everything is what it should be if you arrive at Ed’s with the mentality that this is a lobster shack, which is, I think, what Ed wants you to think. The lobster roll is served in the classic manner—on a hot dog bun brushed with butter. Whole lobster is available as well as other typical options: fried calamari, a grilled white fish of the day, grilled veggies, and French fries.

My meals were satisfying and I assumed that the restaurant was serving the purpose of fulfilling a lobster roll void in SoHo and nothing more. It’s small and crowded and exciting for now but I imagined that it would recess into a neighborhood standard.

These assumptions went out the window when I tried the Blueberry Crème Brule, a dessert that everyone should taste. In fact, everyone should order a full portion for themselves. A twist on the classic Lobster Roll and Blueberry Pie combo at Pearl, Ed is shifting gears with the Crème version. And with this dessert, he is giving everyone a delicious reason—beyond the venerable lobster debate, to check out his digs.