Portland Waterfront Lobster Roll: Portland Lobster Company

There aren't many spots along Portland's waterfront as cool as Portland Lobster Company. It sits on a pier to the right of DiMillo's and smack dab amidst the bustle of Commercial Street. PLC appears to be just a tiny spot from the outside, but once you order your food and head out back to the covered outdoor seating area, you see how massive the place really is. We went on a Monday, arrived at just about noon on the dot and the place was already 90% full.

They offer live entertainment all summer long and boast a pretty decent beer list. There's a great view of the harbor and working waterfront. And don't fret... if your party contains some non-lobster lovers (blasphemous!), there's plenty of items on the menu to satisfy those landlubbers. I love this spot... especially on a day when it's too hot to be baking in the sun and the covered seating area is a welcome reprieve when you just want to sit outside.

They have just one lobster roll on the menu - but one that was Voted BEST OF PORTLAND 2017.

THE LOBSTER ROLL - Fresh picked meat from one pound lobster, brushed with sweet butter. Served on a toasted roll with both mayonnaise and lemon, cole slaw and french fries on the side. MARKET

The market price was $16.99 that day which was a pleasant surprise. The big shock, however, was the lobster roll itself. It could be I expected too much from a place voted Best Of... or maybe they were bogged down with orders and didn't spend enough time preparing my lobster roll. Regardless, I was disappointed.

The roll was poorly toasted. It appeared to have no butter on it and may have been toasted for about eleven seconds. For me, this seems like the easiest thing to do so I'm always annoyed when it comes to me in this state. If you're going to say it's toasted, just make sure the damn thing is actually toasted. Is anyone tired of me saying "toasted" yet? Now it doesn't even sound like a real world...

There was a fair amount of lobster meat on the bun – a little haphazardly tossed on maybe, but an acceptable amount nonetheless. It was lightly dressed with butter which hardly tasted sweet and I was offered no mayo on the side (which I may have actually used this time!) The meat was a mix of claw and tail and well-cooked, but the lobster oddly tasted bland. This is not my first trip to PLC and I don't remember my previous lobster rolls to be tasteless so I'm confused what they did or didn't do.

Definitely, don't let this review sway you from visiting Portland Lobster Co. It's a great spot in Portland's Old Port and since this lobster roll was voted Best of, I feel like maybe there were just having an off day. They could've been short-staffed, their bun toaster might have called in sick... I just find it hard to believe that this is the quality of lobster roll that everyone is getting.

Beer + Lobster Roll = Heaven: Bite Into Maine

When most people think of heading to Bite Into Maine for one of their famous lobster rolls, they head out to Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, grab a seat overlooking the majestic Atlantic, and take in the sites of Portland Head Light. Yeah, I've done that.

For this visit to Bite Into Maine however, I chose to visit their new second food truck location at Allagash Brewing Company... because, duh... BEER!! When I heard this food truck would be stationed at Allagash every weekend this summer, I thought to myself, I bet this is what heaven is like. Beer and lobster rolls go together like peanut butter and jelly!

Industrial Way is one of my favorite stops for beer in Portland... and a flight at Allagash is always an adventure — this trip was no exception! One of the most forward thinking breweries in Maine, they always have something on the tap list that will surprise your taste buds and leave you wondering, how the hell do they keep churning out all these super amazing beers, one after another after another? It boggles my tiny little brain.

Allagash opens at 11am and while most people are still brunching at that time of the morning, the brewery is already filling up quickly with folks from far and wide enjoying a brunch time beer flight. And while I loved all the tap offerings I tried (House Beer, Little Brett, Golden Brett and Interlude), I did miss their White which to me is a perfect breakfast brew.

If you're in it for the scenery, you're better off going out to Fort Williams... but if your idea of the perfect lobster roll eating view is a flight of beer, you must pick this location! But enough about the beer (even though I could go on and on) and let's talk about the reason we're all here... the lobster roll!

There are a number of menu options at Bite Into Maine:
• Maine Style with light mayonnaise and fresh chives
• Connecticut Style with hot butter
• Picnic Style which includes a layer of cole slaw, hot butter and a dash of celery salt
• Wasabi mayo | Curry mayo | Chipotle mayo

I went with the Connecticut Style lobster roll. If I have to whine about something, can I just mention how much of a problem I have with the hot butter version being referred to as "Connecticut Style"? Nothing against the state, but I'm fairly certain they didn't invent the hot butter + lobster combo. Oh, and CT style lobster rolls are supposed to be served with warm lobster. So if my lobster is cold, what does that make it? Just a thought and totally open for discussion.

First, let me just talk about the roll... the roll was grilled to perfection. They didn't skimp on the butter giving it that golden brown color and flavor of the ideal grilled cheese (minus the cheese!) It wasn't over grilled or lightly grilled, it was just right. And there was no lettuce. I repeat NO LETTUCE! That part made me so happy!

Then there was the lobster. I don't know what to say other than it was flawless. Everything about it was absolute perfection. The freshness, the flavor, the appropriately sized chunks, the amount of lobster (although let's be serious here... you honestly can't put enough lobster in a roll that would satisfy my love for this damn crustacean.) The price was $17.95 — the going rate in the current lobster economy. This roll was so amazing, I completely forgot about the bag of chips I bought to go with it. Honestly, I think I was in a state of lobster roll euphoria.

All in all, it was a most enjoyable experience... the sun shone, the beer flowed and the lobster roll delighted. Not a bad was to spend a Saturday afternoon. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat and I suggest you do too!