We’ve just come back from Cape Cod, where Ebo and I ate an average of one lobster a day. We didn’t have lobster every day, but one of us had two lobster rolls a few times, so… do the math.
I have already written about our romantic attachment to lobster and how to make the perfect lobster roll. But more people eat lobster rolls out than make them at home– and on the Cape, it’s hard to travel one mile without passing at least one place (if not a bunch) that serves them. Not all are lobster rolls here are great, but many were pretty darn good. (The “good” percentage of lobster rolls was higher on the Cape than what we found on a lobster roll tasting tour of the Maine coast, which you can read about here. But we are willing to give Maine another shot in the interest of science.)
Just to be clear, the three defining characteristics of a perfect lobster roll are:
* obviously: sweet, tender, juicy lobster meat that is not chewy from over cooking, mealy from too much contact with acid nor fishy from spending too much time on earth.
* a top split, lightly toasted and buttered hot dog roll. I want to cry when I get perfect lobster on a white, doughy roll. It is a sin, and I think the perpetrator deserves jail time. Show me the crunchy golden toasty surface!
* no extra stuff with the lobster. No green, no crunch– just lobster, barely held together by a touch of mayonnaise. We like to say that the lobster has only glanced at the jar of mayonnaise before heading to the table. Think of mayo like salt; a condiment to enhance the flavor and texture of the lobster, not to distract from it.
We found the lobster roll that met these criteria– and was even generously sized. For the best lobster roll on Cape Cod, head to PJ’s Family Restaurant in Wellfleet, where you will experience lobster roll nirvana.
Here are some of the other pieces I have written about lobster (both here and for magazines). Several include recipes:
How-to buy, store, cook and eat lobster in Coastal Living (with a bunch of lobster recipes)
Tasting lobster rolls on the Maine Coast (with a lobster roll recipe) in Relish Magazine
My recipe for Lobster Risotto, voted as one of Cooking Light’s best 25 seafood recipes
The Lobster Love Story: how I met and fell in love with my husband (and why I call him Ebo)
(…and there are more, but that should keep you busy for a while)
Worth noting: my lobster roll is on the top left of this photo, and contains about 5 ounces of lobster meat. (Large by NYC standards.) Ebo’s roll is that honkin’ big one on the right: it holds about 12 ounces of meat. He ate the whole thing. For lunch. (He claims I had two bites, but I don’t remember that…)
Mmmmm, PJ’s!! Even my fish sandwich was heavenly, and it had nothing more than a huge chunk of fried cod on a bun! Simpler is better, it seems…
your lobster roll looks like a lobster roll on the picnic table in the garden of a doll house.
Laurie– It was actually big– I was quite full after I ate it. How I wish I could find the camera angle that would make me look smaller like that…
I want one. We must go to Cape Cod now!
She ate 2 big bites!
Did not.
Me want Lobster roll.
Let’s go FJB!
I am absolutely green (or red in the case of lobster rolls) with envy….I do love this babies.
It’s a worthy endeavor to search for the best lobster roll in any given North East town. My wife and brother helped me do a perfect lobster roll search two years ago on the road to Camden ME. There was an honorable mention but the winner was at Marriner’s Restaurant. It was just before they were changing over from breakfast to lunch and even thoughit wasn’t lunch time yet they went ahead and served us the best lobster roll money can buy. Give it a try if you are ever in Camden.
BTW honorable mention goes to Legal Seafoods of Harvard Square, MA.
Don’t forget those seaside towns in Rhode Island. I had some great lobster roll there. Its hard to believe lobster was served to slaves a 100 years ago because it was plentiful and not considered top quality stuff.