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When the old Seymour Burton space was reborn as Butcher Bay in 2008, the concept (seaside fish shack) overshadowed the chef (never identified). Well, that changed with the arrival of Eric Simpson via stints at Tailor and Perry St. For those who care more about food than about chefs’ CVs, Simpson’s arrival coincides, not so incidentally, with the arrival of the East Village's newest lobster roll, a souped-up $16 specimen seasoned with black cardamom, tarragon, and pickled red chiles. That dish debuts tomorrow night, along with Simpson’s clam-chowder fritters, marinated mackerel with caramelized Vidalia onion tart, and crab fries. This isn’t Jean Georges off Avenue A, though: Regulars will still find straightforward fish and chips, not to mention a $20 clambake, along with refreshingly low prices (appetizers $6 to $11, mains $20 and under). That extends to beverages, too, with single-digit wines-by-the-glass and the kind of craft beers you want to drink with this food, on an East Village side street or a Maine holiday. — Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite

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