French Lobster

[cabrales]

Chef Ripert --

During a discussion at the 92nd Street Y in which you participated earlier this year, you noted your preference for lobsters from France. I concur with your assessment Could you further describe the differences between French lobster, on one hand, and Scottish, Canadian, Australian or other lobsters, on the other?

Are French lobsters served at Le Bernardin or, to your knowledge, at any other restaurant in NY? If you serve the lobsters, how are they sourced and transported?

[Eric Ripert]

For special occasions, we have the Brittany Blue Lobster imported from Browne Trading, our fish purveyor. They cost a fortune. They are very full inside and a 1 1/2 pound lobster gives you a lot of meat. They are very tasty, the flesh tastes very much like a refined shrimp (like the ones from Santa Barbara) mixed with peekytoe crab and langoustine.

American and Canadian lobsters are less flavorful. I do not know the Scottish variety. Spiny lobsters in the Caribbean are (it's personal) tasteless; the ones in the mediteranean and Brittany are very tasty, but they are also super expensive.

New Zealand spiny lobsters are very good. The flesh of the spiny lobsters or langouste (except the Caribbean) are more delicate than the regular lobster. The langouste must be cooked at the last minute if you like the flesh undercooked because it turns black very fast when not served well done.