Memphis, like any respectable Southern city, has no shortage of seafood boil spots. There are plenty to choose from and, as such, plenty to avoid.

In my eyes, there is one small but critical thing a boil house must make perfect for their shellfish to be worthwhile — the water. Far too often am I, after excitedly digging into a plate of hot and steamy seafood, disappointed by the lack of flavor in the meat. A lackluster boil never fails to leave me feeling like I could’ve spent that $25 (or more) somewhere better.

I’ve spent time with enough Louisianians to know that bland boiled seafood is indicative of one of two things, either unseasoned boil stock or not letting the meat soak in the water for long enough. Whichever it may be, it’s always a shame, and I’ve had a hard time finding a seafood boil place that hits the mark every time.

That is, until I found Straight Drop Seafood in Uptown. A lovely coworker of mine once brought me a plate crowded with crab, shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage, and I nearly convulsed in joy.

Then I had to get down to the restaurant and see it for myself.

Straight Drop feels a bit off the beaten path in that its graffiti-mural-covered entrance is around the backside parking lot of a long brick building. You’ll wonder if you’re in the right place, but a quick glance at the lawn signs stuck around the perimeter assure you that you are.

Inside, the restaurant is covered in more graffiti across the walls, which makes it feel slightly less cavernous from the lack of windows. I don’t go to Straight Drop for the lighting, but I do come partially to check out the intricate clean paint lines while I wait.

The menu is a host to plates and platters of all sizes, fit to feed a party of hungry crustacean-lovers and a single person alike.

I usually don’t go searching for low prices at seafood joints. But at Straight Drop, they’ve got an entire section dedicated to our purpose: All Day Trap Meals. 

This side of the menu has one offering perfectly in our favor: 3/8 lb. of shrimp, four potato wedges, half a corn on the cob and half a sausage for $10.

This is a steal for a boil done as well as this.

First: All of the ingredients are cooked perfectly to their respective doneness. The shrimp is plump and crisp; the corn juicy and crunchy; and the potatoes soft and warm. Second: there is no skimping on the flavor. It’s easy to tell that the components are soaked lovingly in a well-spiced and well-salted stock because everything is flavored from within. 

I mean this to say, unlike many other boil houses, Straight Drop does not simply rely on Old Bay and butter to flavor their food. Instead, the meat and vegetables soak up the salt and spices in the water, thoroughly seasoning every bite. The seafood and trinkets are still tossed in spiced butter, but it’s more of an augmenting sauce than it is a flavoring agent.

While I found the shrimp boil plate to be satisfactory in size for a one-person lunch, if you’re looking for something more, you can add a cluster of snow crab legs for only an extra $5.

Unfortunately, it’s often the little things that get cut out when making an affordable meal. I appreciate the extra care and time Straight Drop puts into their food, and that you don’t have to ball out to get a decent plate of shrimp.

Now, I’ll just wait for crawfish to be $1.97/lb again.

Straight Drop Seafood, located at 615 Chelsea Ave., is open Mondays through Thursdays, noon-midnight, and Fridays and Saturdays, noon-2 a.m.