The Best: Lobster Roll

[mrs-j]

Had an awesome lobster roll for lunch last Saturday (july 23rd).

Kennedy's Bar & Grill in Marlboro, MA.

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Tragically, today I went to Kennedy's (6/10/06) and they don't yet have a lobster roll on the menu. The bartender indicated that he was getting calls daily about the availability of their lobster rolls and that as soon as they started serving them, it would be constant through Labor Day, but nothing yet. I am in the area through next Thursday morning, and I will call at least on Tuesday to see if they're serving yet. (He did say any day now) and will update.

I'm not local (from Charlotte) but I adore lobster and good lobster rolls. I'm in town for the week on a company expense account and hope to try a large variety of lobster rolls in the suburban Boston area (Westboro, Hopkinton, Natick and anywhere 15-30 minutes of here) while I'm here. Will report in.

A surprising find: Kelly's Roast Beef & Seafood in Natick (right at Jordan's furniture and the Imax theater off 9) had an excellent lobster roll for $16.95. It was cold, not heated, no lettuce, -VERY- little celery and mayo, and just a SLEW of lobster on a delicious, buttery roll. It was fantastic.

On my list to try are still the 1790 restaurant off 9, Skipjacks, and of course Legal Seafoods. If anyone has any other recommendations, please let me know! I plan on trying to get at least one lobster roll a day in while I'm here and reporting back. Taking one for the team, don't ya know?

[Jason Perlow]

Next time you're in Boston, check out Neptune Oyster Bar..on Salem St in the NE. In addition to a great selection of fresh oysters, they do a hot lobster roll w/butter on a brioche roll...incredible with a side of "real fries." They also do a cold, mayo lobster roll which I haven't tried.

Prices are on the high side; and with lots of oysters the bill can get up there quickly...but very high quality.

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Excellent reccomendation:

[ninetofive]

A surprising find: Kelly's Roast Beef & Seafood in Natick (right at Jordan's furniture and the Imax theater off 9) had an excellent lobster roll for $16.95. It was cold, not heated, no lettuce, -VERY- little celery and mayo, and just a SLEW of lobster on a delicious, buttery roll. It was fantastic.

On my list to try are still the 1790 restaurant off 9, Skipjacks, and of course Legal Seafoods. If anyone has any other recommendations, please let me know! I plan on trying to get at least one lobster roll a day in while I'm here and reporting back.  Taking one for the team, don't ya know? 

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I also like the lobster rolls at Kelly's Roast Beef -- they're amazingly good and packed with lobster meat.

I usually like the lobster rolls at Legals, but have been sorely disappointed with the last two I've gotten. Last week I had one at the Kendall/MIT location and there was hardly any lobster. And the bun was soaked with mayo. Yech. I would have sent it back but our waitress was having a breakdown (graduation week).

[ghostrider]

Just got back from a week-plus in Maine. My carefully planned investigation, aimed at settling the burning question of whether the lobster rolls at Red's Eats are superior to those at Five Islands Lobster Co., was terminated prematurely for two unexpected reasons:

1) The cottage we rented came with a season pass to Maine's state parks, which severly reduced any motivation we had to venture inland to places like Wiscasset. (If you know the beach at Reid State Park, you know what I'm talking about.)

2) After enjoying several FILC lobster rolls and getting a good fix on their quality, we made the surprising discovery that, sometime in recent years, the cost of the labor involved in picking the meat from a lobster and turning it into a lobster roll had grown much faster than the cost of the lobster itself. Thus, while you can get one of their superb lobster rolls for $15, you also can get a whole freshly steamed lobster for $10! Once we discovered that, we said to ourselves, "The hell with Red's!" and spent the rest of our days there cracking lobsters.

For decades, it seemed, lobster rolls were always the cheaper option. I don't know when this changed, but it has significantly altered the gustatory landscape in mid-coast Maine.

The question still burns, but with less heat now.

[annarborfoodie]

Just returned from a week in Wellfleet on the Cape, and here is my local lobstah roll rec: The Methodist Church in Wellfleet (no kidding!). Last Friday of the month in summer, they sell lobster rolls for lunch. They are $9 each, generously filled with big chunks of lobster and not too much mayo.

So if you are in Wellfleet on the last Friday of the month, go there for lunch. They sell from 11-1, but try to get there early.

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Apparently it's not really predictable when they're going to have the lobster roll lunch... we journeyed up to Wellfleet this morning from Chatham, and the Methodist Church was dark - no sign of any lobster roll action. I asked at one of the shops in town and they said "yeah, they have lobster rolls. You just have to watch for them to put the sign out. I don't really know that there's a schedule". We ended up at Mac's on the harbor, where I had a good, but not great, and relatively expensive lobster roll. The location can't be beat though.

[johnnyd]

I had to share this nugget with you all! The Bull and Claw Restaurant in Wells, ME offers a two foot long lobster roll that costs $33. I saw a pic of it in today's sunday Press Hearald and tracked down their website. Scroll down a bit and see this stuffed monster baguette! "Almost a half pound of lobster!" they declare.

[Daniel]

I had to share this nugget with you all!  The Bull and Claw Restaurant in Wells, ME offers a two foot long lobster roll that costs $33.  I saw a pic of it in today's sunday Press Hearald and tracked down their website.  Scroll down a bit and see this stuffed monster baguette!  "Almost a half pound of lobster!" they declare.

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Wow.. That thing is pretty awesome..

[I_call_the_duck]

I had to share this nugget with you all!  The Bull and Claw Restaurant in Wells, ME offers a two foot long lobster roll that costs $33.  I saw a pic of it in today's sunday Press Hearald and tracked down their website.  Scroll down a bit and see this stuffed monster baguette!  "Almost a half pound of lobster!" they declare.

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That is one serious looking lobster roll.

We were up in Plymouth, MA this weekend and had a very nice lobster roll at the Lobster Hut. Great deal for $9.

[pennbrew]

I was born in southern Connecticut, where Jimmy's in Savin Rock, West Haven (still there, but different) held the lobster roll standard...Anyway - Jimmy's was forced to admit years ago that their lobster roll was mainly langostino,

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On my recent eating trek in CT, I was recommended to Jimmy's by a local. I was surprised to see all the tiny, crawfish-sized tails in the sandwich. Obviously it was mostly langostino.

Photo:

[johnnyd]

Busted!

[pennbrew]

I took a detour in my travels today to the CT coast. I had a much better lobster roll at Johnny Ad's:

[pennbrew]

Of course, I had to have a side order of whole clams:

[pennbrew]

...and for dessert, a white clam pie from Pepe's in New Haven:

[Daniel]

Nice Penn,

I am sitting here with my car keys in my hand It really is perfect spacing between the two places.. I like Lenny and Joes Fishtail into Pepe's.. Or maybe a Johnny Ad's fried clam, into a Lenny and Joe lobster roll, into the Pepe's Pizza.. And finish with a canoli from next door..

[johnnyd]

Since it's a beautiful Maine summer evening, what else to have but a lobster roll?

Lobsters today are only $4.99/lb for soft shells, even less off the trucks on the way out of town I hear. I got one and steamed it off, then buttered a locally-made hot dog roll and fried that, then decided I'd spread the superior looking tomalley on the bread and heap a pile or three of deli salads on the plate along-side (Slaw, Israeli couscous w/cranberries, three bean and my own tomato-cuke-corn-soppresseta-basil-tarragon deal)

It might not be the best but I have to say it's just the way I like it!

[Daniel]

Johnny, Johnny...Thats looks perfect! Love the plate too..

[ghostrider]

That looks like a contender!

So when are you opening your seafood shack?

[Daniel]

Johnny,

I like your photo better, but let me throw mine in the ring.. I poached the lobster in butter and served hot.. Then plated to look like a lobster..

Bite:

[johnnyd]

Then plated to look like a lobster.

Dude!

We could deconstruct a lobster roll! You are on to something my man!

...the possibilities...

Alinea watch out!

[Daniel]

It was like an after thought, I had when rushing to stuff the hot buttered lobster into my mug. Now that I am away from the situation and able to control myself, it does get me thinking...

[Holly Moore]

I poached the lobster in butter and served hot.. Then plated to look like a lobster..

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A little attention to the roll please - buttered and caramelized! Also is too much to ask that the next time you decide to make a lobster roll that you take the afternoon to drive to New England and pick up the proppah roll.

[johnnyd]

The New York Times did a road trip up to Maine: "On a Roll, for Lobster" in today's issue. Nice pics too.

My favorite line:

the Old Salt’s Pantry, where a sign reads: “If you’re grouchy, irritable or just plain mean, there is a $10 surcharge for putting up with you.”

[jon777]

Just back from a week in Maine (Portland through Bar Harbor) and sampled several well known Lobster rolls (thanks to this forum and this thread for great info!)

Here's my $0.02 on the subject (which ran from 11.95 - $14)...

First roll was at Red's (wanted to make it to Two Lights upon our arrival in Portland, but had a 4 hour flight delay). All I can say is "Wow!". First of all, getting into Wiccaset we had about 20 minutes of traffic. Discussing with our B&B owners in Rockland, she says all the traffic in Wicasset is from Red's and people crossing in the crosswalk to get there which forces cars to stop. One year they paid for a cop to direct traffic (which apparently worked well). Another year, they installed a poorly timed traffic light which was a disaster. Oh well -- the wait to get into town was well worth it. A couple points on Red's:

- They don't sell beer. We went next door and got a couple and brought in (which we were told was frowned on, so we bought bottled waters at Reds).

- Your seated right next to the road -- the seating at the two places across the street (one restaurant and another shack on the pier), are much nicer -- I don't think there's anything preventing you from getting your role "to go" and heading out to the pier.

- We went closer to dinner time -- the line is apparently much shorter then (was about 5 people at 6 PM on a Saturday) than at lunch/afternoon.

- On to the lobster roll itself. It did not dissapoint. Large chunks of claw and tail meat, exceptionally sweet on a perfectly cooked bun. There was minimal (if any) dressing on the meat and no lettuce/celery or anything to distract you from the lobster. Came with a choice of drawn butter or mayo on the side. A dash of either just enhanced the richness, although it certainly didn't need it. Pure lobster goodness.

- Cole slaw was very dissapointing -- don't bother -- probably out of a jug -- overprocessed and flavorless. Onion rings were so/so, not bad, but coating was too "doughy".

- I believe rolls were about $14 -- very reasonable for the amount of lobster.

Next lobster role was at a place in Camden -- nothing special, not on a hot dog bun. Too heavily dressed and lobster overly processed. Would have been a treat here in NJ, not worth discussing in Maine. I'll look up the name of the place later and edit the post.

Most of the rest of the trip we were consuming whole lobsters and fried clams, but did manage a stop at Harkaskeet (outside Freeport) on our return trip. 15 minute wait at 3 PM (not bad!) on a Saturday. Lobster roll ($14 w/o fries, $15 with) was very good, with nice size chunks of lobster, very sweet and lightly dressed on a perfectly cooked hot dog bun. Not an overabundance of lobster (actually seemed a little small for $14) and had lettuce (which was easily removed). Onion rings were EXCELLENT -- best of the trip. Overall, very tasty, nice setting, not a bargain. I wouldn't make a special trip, but only 5 minutes off of 295, worth a quick detour.

[markabauman]

Was in Portsmouth, NH this past weekend. Asked some locals where to get a good lobster roll. Neither recommendation was anything special (Oar House in Portsmouth, Petey's in Rye). A friend from back home suggested we check out Latitude's Restaurant at Wentworth-by-the-Sea Resort. That was very good- classic- not too much mayo, no celery and large chunks of lobster on a toasted roll. Beautiful view from the open air deck as well.

[docsconz]

Looks marvelous, Mark, as do the others on this thread. Although it was very good they make the one I had at B&G Oysters LTD in Boston pale in comparison

I must say that B&G was excellent on a number of levels though. I can't say that I didn't enjoy it. Nevertheless, therre is nothing quite like enjoying one right on the shore on a beautiful summer day!