When you think “New York City”, lobster rolls aren’t usually the first things that come to mind. Unless you’re me. I’m crazy about lobster rolls and since I spend most of the year where they aren’t readily available, I tend to go a little overboard when they are.
My sister, Mary, was the first in our family to discover lobster rolls. Years ago she went to Boston on business and happened to call on a client at the shore. The business call evolved into an unexpected detour at the water’s edge in a small town on Cape Cod, at a shack with big signs that said “Lobster”. Too early in the day for a whole lobster (is that possible?), she went out on a limb and got something called a “lobster roll”. And then she called me and told me about it. Now, I’ve been a lobster nut since I was a little girl, obsessing over my grandma’s baked lobster with spaghetti. But the thought of someone else cleaning a lobster and putting the meat on a buttered roll rocked my world. I couldn’t wait to get to Massachusetts, or wherever I was going to be able to get my hands on one.
It wasn’t long after that I found myself planning a trip to Rhode Island for a friend’s wedding and realized it was only a short drive to the most lobsterish of states, Maine. I got out there three days early and rented a car specifically to eat lobster and search out the lobster roll of my dreams.
I’ve eaten a lot of lobster rolls since then and I take every opportunity to enjoy them when I’m in New England. The best one I ever had was at Red’s Eats in Wiscasset Maine, the meat of an amazingly fresh lobster stuffed into a toasted, buttered hot dog bun, whole claws sticking out each side. Once on my way to the Boston airport to fly to Portland, Oregon, I ate one for lunch at the Clam Box in Ipswich, Massachusetts; it was so good I got another to go to eat for dinner later. Best decision I ever made. There I was at 30,000 feet, unwrapping the roll with the other passengers staring me down. I could have retired on the sale of that lobster roll, which made eating it all that much more enjoyable.
Fifteen years ago they were almost unheard of in New York City, just a memory of summer at the shore. Then the Lobster Place opened in the re-born Chelsea Market and since then it’s been a steady stream of great lobster roll opportunities.
I was recently in New York City and over the course of four days I tasted three of them. Here are the rolls I had and how I rate them.
The Lobster Place, Chelsea Market
Aside from ordering food, the Lobster Pound is a great space to hang out and gaze at all the shellfish. Their lobster rolls are freshly made but not lobstery enough; I think they’ve been out of the ocean and in the tanks too long. There’s a small amount of celery, chive and mayo, which you don’t need if the lobster is really tasty.
Jean-George Vonrichten’s Spice Market
Nice little twist, rolled into rice paper with a little, cool dill gelee, srirachi mayo for dipping. A yummy little appetizer but obviously not the real thing. I loved Spice Market tho and went back again.
Luke’s Lobster, 7th Street between 1st and 2nd Ave
I think Luke’s has the best in town. The lobster has a great fresh taste – just lobster meat on a toasted bun. This time they added a little melted butter, which oozed out as you were eating it. It was overkill, but it was delicious! Now Luke’s has locations all over town with one in the Financial District, the original in the East Village and another on the Upper East Side. Plus I hear they have a mobile unit that shows up in farmer’s markets! Mobile lobster roll units. If I can just get them to park outside my door.