I admit, after making it, it was missing something and called my mom as she makes great chowder. Her answer was to add more pepper, a bit of hot sauce, and half a cup of real butter. And like a miracle, it was perfect! I also did a slurry with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to help thicken it up.
It was fantastic and I made enough to give us 9 bowls of it. I made it on Monday while the wife was getting her kidney stone zapped so had it ready when they got home at 2. But after 2 days of all those flavours sitting together, it was even better today. Which seems to always be the case with a chowder or soup.