The rustic pleasures of a seafood shack meet New York style at Ed’s Chowder House. As you approach this prime Upper West Side spot, you’ll feel the area’s glamour, centered amid Lincoln Center’s cultural plenty. Tucked in to the historic Empire Hotel (built in 1923, evident in the restored terrazzo floors and mahogany paneling upstairs) is Ed’s airy second-floor retreat, with blown-out ceilings and a friendly, sophisticated vibe.
Pass through a pleasant bar area and into the main dining room and let the raw bar catch your eye. On ice you’ll find the bounty of local waterfronts—oysters, clams, jumbo shrimp, and lobster, all sourced from the East Coast, and all prepared within the great Northeastern seafood traditions. Don’t miss the mussels, poached and chilled to max out the texture; the lemon & saffron aioli dipping sauce is as addictive as the shellfish.
If you’re going to have Chowder House in your name, you’d better deliver there. Seasonal specials join a Manhattan blue crab version and the amazing Ed’s loaded seafood chowder. Lobster, shrimp, scallops, and clams jostle together in a broth that hits all the New England keys: hearty potato, rich cream, smoky bacon, and an elegant hint of vermouth.
As at restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s China Grill, there’s a playfulness in the kitchen. Organic Skuna Bay salmon comes in an everything-bagel crust. The award-winning Jeff & Zach’s Beach Burger (Pat LaFrieda beef) is available with a lobster-roll-salad topper, taking surf ‘n’ turf to a whole new level. Fried clams are as crisp as their Massachusetts brethren, only cleaner and fresher, amid watercress salad and a warm champagne vinaigrette. New Bedford sea scallops achieve a perfect sear, complemented by an onion sauce and a bright English pea tortellini.
The writer Ernest Hemingway makes a good totem for the restaurant, which has a similar mix of quality, character, and lack of pretense. To the latter aspect, the wine menu quotes Papa, "All I want out of wines is to enjoy them." A lengthy and considered list is ready for seafood, with New Zealand and Loire Valley vintages, Grüner Veltliners, and a section of "other fun whites." (The reds run just as deep, should you go off script and order the burger, or the skirt steak.) There's even a Hemingway-inspired daiquiri, made with rum, grapefruit, lime, and Luxardo maraschino.
In the words of Marketing & Creative Director JT McKay, Ed’s “evokes that sense memory of a seaside vacation—delicious and bountiful seafood right from the ocean.” Lincoln Center has taken notice, with talent often stopping by after the final curtain. (Now through September 25th is an excellent time to check that scene out, as Ed's is offering a late-night happy hour, with $1 clams, $1.50 oysters, $4 domestic beers, $8 wines by the glass, and $9 happy hour cocktails from midnight to close in the Chowder Bar up front.) Is Ed’s Chowder House a smart spot for a warm up or wind down on a night of culture? Or is it a salt-air seafood shack transported to the heart of the city? Says McKay, “The beauty of this place is that it could go either way.”
44 W. 63rd St. (btw. Broadway & Columbus Ave.), 212-956-1288, edschowderhouse.nyc
