Boston to Rockland

[Tom G]

We are driving from Boston to Rockland, ME, in a few weeks. Have dinner at Primo that night, but looking for a road food-ish culinary experience on the way up - preferably seafood, whether it be lobster rolls, lobster, clam chowder, fried clams, etc...Also open to any other non-seafood selections, however...

Have read great things about Reds Eats in Wiscasset and a couple of others along the way. Anybody have any strong opinions???

PS - Lunch of a deck over the water would surely be a bonus!

Thanks very much!

[Holly Moore]

Greetings Tom and welcome to eGullet.

Red's Eats in Wiscasset is definitely worth the stop and the wait in line if any. It's also impossible to miss from Route 1. They are justifiably famous for their lobster roll, but everything else is great, too.

A slight detour, for a second lunch that day, or on the way back to Boston, is Bett's Fish Fry, a trailor of the town square, just before boothbay.

Plenty of other good looking along the way. Here's my favorite reference: Eating the New England Coast at HollyEats.Com

[twodogs]

red's eats not worth the time, money or long lines.

the lobster roll is dead. it seems no one makes a truely outstanding lobster roll. the press and the tourist pressure causes establishments to dish out food rather than make a great lobster roll.

sorry for the bad news.

better off buying lobsters, top opening hot dog buns and making your own.

if this seems dreary one waterview with an adequate lobster roll and a good rum punch is shaw's in new harbor. 15 miles off route one but worth the trip if you need a fix. from shaws you can drive up scenic route 32 and intersect with route one and continue towards rockland.

cheers

[Holly Moore]

Couldn't disagree with you more.

Red's is all about quality and value. $14 or whatever Red's is charging this year may seem like a lot of money, but it's a fair price for what they provide.

The lines at Red's are long for a reaon. And there are many locals standing in those lines, not just tourists.

[Nick]

I've been by Red's hundred's, if not thousands, of times and never stopped. After Holly's been bragging it up I thought I might give it a try. But $14 for a lobster roll?

Shit, you can buy two or three lobsters and all the makings for that kind of money.

[Rail Paul]

I'll put in a good word for the Fat Burger (?) in Brunswick, directly opposite the Naval Air Station fence. It's on the local road parallel to the interstate, just north of the Bowdoin campus. Might be highway 128 or some such.

Roadside stand, burgers, dogs, fries, naval fliers picking up a few for the boys and girls on Guam or Rota, etc. Greasy, tasty, local favorite.

There's also a decent brew pub in an old mill just northwest of Brunswick on the road out to the interstate. Great view, good beer.

[Holly Moore]

I've been by Red's hundred's, if not thousands, of times and never stopped. After Holly's been bragging it up I thought I might give it a try. But $14 for a lobster roll? 

Shit, you can buy two or three lobsters and all the makings for that kind of money.

That's the same for any restaurant. What's the big deal? You're talking a 33 to a 50% food cost. Most restaurants shoot for 30 - 40% overall food cost.

Each Red's lobster roll has at least one lobster's worth of meat on it, probably a little more.

Roadside stand, burgers, dogs, fries, naval fliers picking up a few for the boys and girls on Guam or Rota, etc. Greasy, tasty, local favorite.

Fat Burger is cool, not for the fliers picking up food there but for the ones buzzing the place on their way back to the base during flight training.

[Nick]

Roadside stand, burgers, dogs, fries, naval fliers picking up a few for the boys and girls on Guam or Rota, etc. Greasy, tasty, local favorite.

There's also a decent brew pub in an old mill just northwest of Brunswick on the road out to the interstate. Great view, good beer.

Man, it's quite a hop to Rota, to say nothing of Guam, in a P-3. What do they taste like on the other end?

The old mill is a good place to hit. Haven't been there in three years or so, but it was good back then. Great atmosphere, good beer, and decent food. It's actually in Topsham. Easiest way to get to it (that I know) is to get off at the first Brunswick exit on I-95 and then after the strip go straight into town instead of taking a left at the last light to get on to Rt. 1. Once in town hang a left on the main street and go across the bridge. Mill's on the right.

Two dogs suggestion of Shaw's in New Harbor is good. Another of those places I haven't been to in years (actually I haven't been since its name was changed to Shaw's), but it's a good, reliable feed if you're looking for lobster and clams. Deck right on the water overlooking some real fishing boats instead of yachts.

Another place on 32 is in Round Pond down behind the Anchor Inn. I haven't eaten there, but wandered down for a smoke break while eating at the Anchor Inn last summer. Has a very spacious deck on the water. More yachts, but some fishing boats. I don't recommend the Anchor Inn. It's something I get hauled into every year when my ex, her husband, sister, mother, etc. are here.

If you'd rather sit on a very nice deck looking at some very nice yachts, try the Waterfront in Camden just up the road from Rockland. Hit it for lunch or get there early for dinner. It gets crowded.

[Nick]

That's the same for any restaurant.  What's the big deal?  You're talking a 33 to a 50% food cost.  Most restaurants shoot for 30 - 40% overall food cost.

Each Red's lobster roll has at least one lobster's worth of meat on it, probably a little more.

Holly, We're not exactly talkin' white linen with exquisite table service here.

And it would take a mighty big roll to get a lobster's worth of meat into it. But, I haven't been there so maybe they've got special rolls.

[twodogs]

one whole lobster...hmm.

is that a two pound hard shell or a 1-1 1/4 pound softshell chicken lobster?

just wondering

[Holly Moore]

That's the same for any restaurant.  What's the big deal?  You're talking a 33 to a 50% food cost.  Most restaurants shoot for 30 - 40% overall food cost.

Each Red's lobster roll has at least one lobster's worth of meat on it, probably a little more.

Holly, We're not exactly talkin' white linen with exquisite table service here.

And it would take a mighty big roll to get a lobster's worth of meat into it. But, I haven't been there so maybe they've got special rolls.

Even McDonald's runs on a 30 to 35% food cost. Not just linen tablecloth restaurants.

Standard Maine hotdog roll. But between the tail claws and knuckles there's not exactly a mountain of meat in a pound or pound and a quarter lobster.

[alacarte]

mmm, I want a lobster roll.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Make sure you eat once at Cafe Miranda in Rockland. Kerry, the chef/owner, was at Chez Panise originally. Also, for an obscenely large crab or shellfish cake (perhaps 6-7"), go to Conti's on the wharf. Gringy place, and surly chef, but very fresh and quintisential seafood.

(As a Californian, I will admit openly that I don't "get" lobster rolls. We just don't eat hot dog buns out here, nor pay $14. for lobster and mayo. What we did do was go to French and Brawn and buy impecably fresh picked crab, 8 oz for each of us, a lemon, some cocktail sauce, some good bread and a bottle of chilled white wine and pig out on the deck outside our bedroom.)

Edited July 13, 2003 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[birder53]

Make sure you eat once at Cafe Miranda in Rockland.  Kerry, the chef/owner, was at Chez Panise originally.  Also, for an obscenely large crab or shellfish cake (perhaps 6-7"), go to Conti's on the wharf.  Gringy place, and surly chef, but very fresh and quintisential seafood.

I'll second a vote for Cafe Miranda. Wonderful food and huge portions!