In Search Of…Lobster Rolls That Really Rock
by SARA CLEMENCE, online.wsj.comJuly 13th 2012 6:10 AM
By
RULE OF CLAW | A lobster roll with onion rings at Five Islands Lobster Co. in Georgetown, Maine.
THE CLASSIC CRUSTACEAN sandwich is on a roll.
Once the kind of dish that you had to go to coastal New England or the outer reaches of Long Island to sample, the lobster roll has become a standard of American cuisine that can be enjoyed from Detroit to Delray Beach.
"It's amazing how in the last five years it's become an incredibly trendy food item," said Steve Kingston, owner of the Clam Shack, a lobster-roll institution in Kennebunk, Maine. "It's grown from a staple on a shack menu to a national culinary fascination, all over the menus, all over the country."
Sara Clemence on Lunch Break discusses her journey along Maine's rugged southern coast to find the finest, freshest lobster roll and how restaurants around the country are putting a new twist on the classic roll. (Photo: Lisa Corson for The Wall Street Journal)
We have a host of reasons to thank for the proliferation of lobster rolls. Advances in technology is one; Shucks Maine Lobster has figured out how to remove raw lobster meat from the shell with mechanized help, so it can be packaged and easily shipped. Lobster rolls fit nicely with the zeitgeist of a lackluster economy—while far more expensive than your average BLT, they're an affordable luxury, a dish that combines high-class protein with a down-to-earth wrapping. A lobster roll can be half the price of a lobster dinner; you get the flavor without the formality, or the attendant mess.
And lobster in general is cheaper these days—as low as $5 to $6 per pound for live shellfish at retail—due to a bumper crop of crustaceans that follows two other record-setting years. Lobstermen generally see the heaviest catches July through November, but in 2012, the peak season started a month early.
"We had a very mild winter and ocean temperatures were a little bit warmer than what you might usually see," said Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council. "Restaurants and retailers kind of get geared up for July. The lobsters didn't pay any attention to that. In the first week of June they were saying, 'Let's party!'"
Photos: Summer Lobster Rolls
Click to view the slideshow.
It's a challenging situation for lobstermen (and women), but good for customers and retailers. In part because of the friendlier pricing, "some people are saying they've never sold this many lobsters before," Mr. Somers said.
Sandwiches don't get much more basic than this: a hot dog bun stuffed with cooked lobster meat, maybe dressed with a bit of mayonnaise. Or maybe not—and herein begins the heated debate that accompanies even the simplest of regional specialties. Should the lobster be served au naturel, or varnished with mayo or butter? Does a lettuce leaf—even a single one—add to or detract from the experience? How hot should the bread be? How cold the meat? Does the addition of celery, onion, a sprinkling of herbs count as an enhancement or an offense?
And the most passionately argued point of all, of course: Where to get the best?
"In Maine, shellfish lands in buns just hours after being hauled from the cold and deep."
New England is the obvious choice—specifically Maine, though lobster rolls probably weren't born in the Pine Tree State. "I can't say it happened on this day in this town," said Elisabeth Townsend, author of "Lobster: A Global History." But, she pointed out, lobster salad became popular in New England in the middle of the 19th century, popping up on the menu of Boston's upscale Revere House. Harry Perry reportedly served it in a hot dog bun at his Milford, Conn., restaurant in the 1920s. Today, Maine is the place most closely associated with the bread-and-seafood treat.
Along the Maine coast, you can sample some of the freshest lobster rolls in the world, with shellfish landing in buns just hours after being hauled from the cold and deep. While purveyors can, of course, get live lobsters farther away from the source, some experts say the dehydration that takes place when lobsters are shipped changes the meat's flavor. Soft-shells—lobsters that have recently molted and are considered by many to be tastier than hard-shells—are too delicate to ship at all. There's also something about Maine's weathered seafood shacks, rocky inlets, crisp architecture, stiff breezes, pine forests and colorful lobster-trap markers that speaks to the spirit as much as to the palate.
Close We traveled the state's southern coast from the New Hampshire border to Newcastle, looking for the top roll spots, driving from upscale eateries to one-window shacks. We crunched, munched, dripped and spilled, dug into paper boats of onion rings and french fries, sampled countless pickle spears and mini-cups of slaw, while gazing out on islets, docks and the occasional sizzling parking lot. We learned that it's hard to go truly wrong with a lobster roll in this part of the world, but that there are many uninspiring examples.
A few tips for seeking out prime specimens: The closer to the water, the more likely you are to be getting the freshest lobster, and the higher the chance it has been cooked the traditional way, in seawater. A sandwich that contains different parts of the animal—claws, knuckles, tails—also has a better chance of being fresh. (Some restaurants buy their meat from processing plants, which don't always include the coveted tails.) Much of the magic is in the contrast—crunchy against tender, creamy with briny, cold meat versus warm bun.
Other than that, "best" is mainly a matter of personal taste. Now, would you like butter or mayo with that?
TOP SPOTS FOR LOBSTER ROLLS
Lobster roll at Linda Bean's Perfect Maine
The Blue Blood
Linda Bean's Perfect Maine
Linda Bean, a granddaughter of the L.L. who created duck boots, fashions lobster rolls that look (and taste) as wholesome and well-designed as the family company's products. The rolls (always served hot) are toasted on a panini maker, which crisps the outside while steaming the insides. The lobster, mostly from Ms. Bean's own wharf, is brine-boiled and loaded into the buns naked—mayo dressing is put along the bottom of the bun only. On top goes a careful dusting of Ms. Bean's secret blend, a mix of 11 herbs that she alone knows how to create. "It gives it a little extra lift without burying the flavor," she said. Salt-and-vinegar potato chips and a pickle complete the meal. There are currently five Linda Bean's Perfect Maine locations; we recommend the 240-seat restaurant or the stand by the main L.L. Bean store in Freeport. 88 Main St., Freeport, lindabeansmainelobster.com
The Ramp Bar & Grill
The Local Secret
The Ramp Bar & Grill
Purists might scoff at the lobster roll-with-a-kick, but this casual spot is packed with old buoys, vintage sporting and political memorabilia, and professional lobstermen. "It's the onion that scares people away," says Kate Morency, who owns the Ramp with her husband, CIA-trained chef Peter Morency. Here, fresh lobster meat is mixed with celery, onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasonings, and piled into a bun that's been slathered with butter and cooked on the flattop until perfectly crispy. It's served with house-made potato chips, a pickle and a couple of grilled tomatoes. You won't just happen upon the Ramp; to get there, drive out of Kennebunkport down Pier Road, past the Bush compound all the way to Cape Porpoise Harbor. Follow the arrows that lead beneath sister restaurant Pier 77. 77 Pier Rd., Cape Porpoise, pier77restaurant.com
The Scene-Stealer
Five Islands Lobster Co.
Close Five Islands Lobster Co.
"You can't find a fresher lobster roll in the state," bragged Keith Longbottom, co-owner of Five Islands with his wife, Gina. Competitors might protest, but they'd have a harder time disputing the quality of the view—the retailer/wholesaler occupies a cluster of vintage buildings on a dock with panoramic vistas of fishing boats and craggy islets. Five Islands' lobsters are fished from cold waters nearby, hang out in tanks filled with the same seawater they're cooked in and are picked from their shells on-site. The meat (all parts) is dabbed with mayo and cradled in a grilled hot dog bun lined with a romaine lettuce leaf. Drive there on state Route 127 or pull up in a boat. And order the onion rings—they're big, crunchy and coated with a secret breading that includes black pepper and garlic. 1447 Five Islands Rd., Georgetown, fiveislandslobster.com
MC Perkins Cove
The Upscale Edition
MC Perkins Cove
From a seat at this elegant eatery in Ogunquit's heavily touristed Perkins Cove, you can see some of the traps that supply lobster for its traditional take on the lobster roll. "Simple is the key word," said chef/owner Clark Frasier, who with his partner Mark Gaier has been named best chef in the Northeast by the James Beard Foundation. Medium chunks of the mild meat are dosed (not doused) with homemade mayonnaise and served on a light, buttery bun along with a pickle and a little caldron of crunchy french fries flecked with salt. You'll pay more than at many shacks (about $20), but you can also avoid sweaty lines and napkin-stealing breezes. 111 Perkins Cove Rd., Ogunquit, mcperkinscove.com
The Clam Shack
The All-Round Hero
The Clam Shack
It's not just the unorthodox round buns that set apart this little stand on the bridge connecting Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. All of the lobster is cooked in fresh ocean water—"the most natural seasoning," said owner Steve Kingston. He also uses soft-shell lobsters when possible because they're considered sweeter, and seawater penetrates their armor more easily. Big, salty-sweet hunks, including claws and tails, come dressed with a bit of mayo on the airy trademark buns, which date to the '70s, when the prior owner asked a bakery in Biddeford for an alternative to the Wonderbread-type rolls that were flooding the market. Snag one of the lobster-red Adirondack chairs and watch the preppy crowds go by as you eat. 2 Western Ave., Kennebunk, theclamshack.net
Red's Eats
The Heavyweight
Red's Eats
It's tough to argue that any sandwich is worth standing in line for an hour—but not impossible. Red's, in charming Wiscasset, boasts that each of its rolls contains a lobster-plus worth of meat. "We pile it high," said owner Debbie Cronk. The hunks, cooked and picked by local suppliers, are huge, served very cold and are somehow just a touch more flavorful and tender than everyone else's. Carry your colorful plastic plate to the deck out back, and dress your roll to taste with butter or mayo. If the wait is unbearable, you won't be disappointed at Sprague's Lobster across the street. Or, bring a friend and take turns standing and browsing nearby shops, especially the vintage French linens at the Marston House. 41 Water St., Wiscasset, 207-882-6128
Breakthrough Rolls Beyond Maine
LOBSTER ROLL LOVERS who live outside of Maine have never been luckier. In many cities, lobster roll trucks now prowl the streets, seafood-shack-styled restaurants abound and chefs are getting creative with the classic dish. Here are some of the most innovative versions around the country.
—Matthew Amster-BurtonPer Se, New York
The Dish: Lobster Roll canapé with tomato marmalade
The Rework: A mouthful of lobster mousse baked in a brioche crust and served with tomato jam and petite celery.
Rogue 24, Washington, D.C.
The Dish: Lobster Roll/2012
The Rework: Chef-owner R.J. Cooper sifts dehydrated lobster roe powder onto edible Japanese obulato paper. "And then we roll it into a roll, which is basically a lobster roll," he said. Along with the crunchy roll, you get a bowl of foamy, aerated lobster bisque.
Niche, St. Louis, Mo.
The Dish: Lobster: Pullman, celery, green apple, togarashi, brown butter hollandaise
The Rework: Poached lobster in brown-butter hollandaise sauce with shards of togarashi pepper candy, served on "rocks" of squid-ink Pullman loaf.
Antoine McGuire's, Haverstraw, N.Y.
The Dish: Deconstructed Lobster Roll
The Rework: Toasted challah cubes with butter-poached lobster, baby field greens and Old Bay aioli. "It looks gourmet," said chef and co-owner Anthony Accomando.
A version of this article appeared July 14, 2012, on page D1 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: In Search Of…Lobster Rolls That Really Rock.
Original Page: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304022004577516701204095734.html?mod=e2tw
Shared from Pocket
Victor Cuvo, Attorney at Law
No comments:
Post a Comment