THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

The space is brightly lit, you order at the counter, vie with other diners for a table and, if you bring wine (which you should), you'll be drinking it out of plastic cups. But, none of that matters because the food here is just that good.

The lobster bisque is flavorful, but not too rich. At $3.95 for a small cup, which is actually quite large, it's a great deal. I actually, to my surprise, liked the clam chowder even more than the lobster bisque. It was creamy and packed with big chunks of fresh seafood. I've eaten many an inferior bowl of clam chowder for three times the price of this delicious soup.

For entrees, you can choose from among a selection of baked, pan-seared, grilled, and my personal recommendation—fried—fish. The fish-and-chips dinner is a generous portion of expertly fried haddock and crispy fries. If you want to try a little bit of everything, I recommend the Fisherman's Platter, which is a heaping mound of fried shrimp, clams, calamari and other breaded fish on top of fries. You can't go wrong with that.

Truly, every morsel I tasted at New England Seafood Company was fantastic, but there's no debating that the star of this show is the lobster roll. Transplants from the Eastern Seaboard will be delighted to find a local joint that knows how to make a proper lobster roll, and native Chicagoans will be pleasantly surprised (and instantly addicted). The lobster roll is served on a buttered and grilled hot dog bun—as all lobster-roll purists know it should be. The bun is jam packed with big chunks of meaty lobster that are tossed in butter—not mayo as you might find on some less authentic lobster rolls. Trust me, this lobster roll is plenty decadent without the mayo, but if you want to add some, they have packets available.

The lobster roll is served with crisp coleslaw and homemade potato chips that are still warm from the fryer. This is one simple but phenomenal meal that I can confidently say is worth every penny of the $16.95 it will set you back. The roll itself is not huge, but they don't skimp on the lobster and you won't be leaving hungry.

If you want to DIY your New England experience here in Chicago, this restaurant is also a fish market, so you've got plenty of options. You can choose your favorite seafood from the refrigerated case packed with large selection of fresh fish or the saltwater tank filled with live lobsters, and then cook it all up at home. New England Seafood Company also has a full catering menu, which includes all the fixings for an authentic lobster boil—right down to the drawn butter, lobster bibs and Whoopie pies for dessert. Or, just grab a couple of lobster rolls to go and head down to the lakefront for lunch. It will be your own little East Coast "staycation."

New England Seafood Company is located at 3341 N. Lincoln Ave.; call 773-871-3474 or visit www.neseafoodcompany.com .