Maine: The Lobster Mecca

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It’s been two years since I started this blog, and last month, I finally reached the holy land of lobster: Maine. I was in Portland for three days and I ate one roll each day (though I could have easily eaten more). The first night, I went out drinking with friends and stumbled upon a lobster roll cart on the way back to our bed and breakfast. The lobster’s so abundant that dudes are slinging it on the street at 1:00 in the morning! 

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Served warm with butter in a hot dog bun and a side of chips, the lobster roll was surprisingly tasty. It had good amount of meat with a couple of whole claws – not too shabby for $10! Though I could have done without the pickle slices.

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The next day, I had lunch at Portland Lobster Co., located downtown by Chandlers Wharf. You order inside, where they give you a lobster-shaped buzzer that vibrates and lights up when your food is ready. 

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I got the lobster roll, of course. The website says it’s made with a pound of fresh-picked meat from a steamed 1-pound lobster, which sounds about right. Cold and lightly brushed with melted butter, the lobster chunks were stuffed into a toasted soft, sweet split-top bun lined with lettuce. While completely unnecessary, the leafy greens added a nice crunchy texture. I didn’t use the lemon, but the cole slaw had a tangy dill flavor and the thick, skin-on fries were perfectly cooked and seasoned. You can’t get a meal this satisfying for $15.99 in New York City.

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On the third day, we went hiking at Two Lights State Park in nearby Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and then stopped for lunch at The Lobster Shack. Apparently we weren’t the only ones.

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Despite its length, the line only took about 15 minutes. The restaurant serves all types of seafood, including oysters, scallops, clams, shrimp and haddock. The cashier said they go through 150 live lobsters and 60 to 70 pounds of lobster meat a day. I almost went for the whole steamed lobster dinner, which comes with corn on the cob and cole slaw, but figured I’d keep it simple and choose the lobster roll. 

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The untoasted split-top bun overflowed with hearty pieces of cold lobster meat, topped with a light dusting of paprika and a dollop of mayonnaise. I wasn’t sure what to do with the mayo, so I just spread it over the lobster with a fork. Like the one at Portland Lobster Co., this roll also inexplicably featured lettuce, though it was chopped into small pieces and scattered along the bottom of the bun underneath the lobster. No matter, the lobster roll was still delicious. We also got a side order of onion rings, which were thinly coated in a cornmeal batter. If you’re in Portland, The Lobster Shack is definitely worth the trip.

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