(L to r) Steve Chu and Ephrem Abebe, owners of Ekiben, show off their summer, softshell sensation, The Ekiben Softie in front of their South Baltimore store on Sept. 9, 2025. The sandwich balances a fried Maryland staple, the softshell crab, with melted cheddar cheese, jumbo lump crab meat, and Cantonese dry rub on Ekiben’s signature boa bun. Credit: Christian Thomas