Kennebunkport Lobster Roll #3: The Clam Shack

I read a lot of "Best Of" lists when it comes to lobster rolls - always looking for the one that got away. Sometimes I agree with the list maker and sometimes I wonder if they were on crack when they ate the lobster roll and sometimes I wonder if they actually ate the damn thing. The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport shows up on those lists. A lot. I've been trying to get down there for years to try their offering, but Kennebunkport can be daunting to locals on a summer Saturday with its swarms of tourists – but because of our current situation, I figured I'd give it a shot.

The Clam Shack is 100% on board with all the COVID-19 safety precautions. There are many requests to wear masks any time you're not at your table – so many signs that not wearing a mask is (like the tourists in front of me in line) just friggin' barbaric. I watched the staff carefully sanitize each socially distant picnic table after each party left so I felt super safe!

The Clam Shack sits on the Kennebunk side of the bridge overlooking the Kennebunk River right in the middle of all the action. It's hard to miss. It's a true shack so you order at the window and the masked/gloved staff member delivers the food to your table. I ordered the Lobster Roll Lunch Box for $23.95 which includes the lobster roll, pickle slices, coleslaw, and fries. I was excited about this roll despite it not being served on the traditional split top roll – I am a traditionalist, after all.

The Clam Shack has an entire page on their website dedicated to their lobster roll:

NO FRILLS, BUT WORTH ALL THE FUSS  

Our lobster roll is an award-winning take on the classic New England sandwich. It's become a rock star in the Maine seafood scene, receiving culinary accolades from major food publications to national television shows. The Clam Shack roll crushes the competition because of our commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and never compromising on quality.

So the good news... the lobster meat was delicious. Boiling the bugs in fresh seawater makes the meat so incredibly salty and delightfully sweet. I have a hard time believing there are lobster shacks out there that don't prepare the meat in this way. Also, when ordering, they'll ask if you'd like mayo, butter, or both. Pick both. Definitely pick both. It's mildly life-altering. I only wish there was more of it on my plate.

And the bad news... as much as I wanted to be on board with the hamburger/bulky-style roll, I found it to be too distracting. Because only the inside of the bun is grilled, you miss out on the crunch of buttery, toasted goodness that the New England style roll provides. The "Reilly Roll," locally made in Biddeford, was also just bready and sweet enough to overpower the amount of lobster meat on the sandwich. If they piled up the lobster meat a little more, I think the bun may have worked a little better.

I really wanted to love this sandwich, but my feelings were mixed. For me, a lobster roll is all about the lobster and how it's prepared and how it tastes – not the bread. A nice traditional hot dog roll is not an overpowering flavor and if it's buttered and grilled perfectly, the only real taste it brings to the lobster is butter. And I'm not sure there's anything that pairs with lobster better than butter. 

In the end, while the bun didn't work for me, the lobster did so if you don't mind a bready lobster roll, you may love this one. I'm curious if others feel this way or I'm just too picky about my bread!

Kennebunkport #2 Lobster Roll: The Boathouse

Procrastination: the action of delaying or postponing something. 

I am a master of procrastination. Mostly it occurs when I'm not exactly excited about doing something and in this case, I have very little love for the lobster roll you're about the read about. This is by far a record for the longest delay in posting a review - I ate this lobster roll on December 6, 2018 – over FIVE months ago! I'm not saying I've gone this long without actually consuming a lobster roll, but over the winter I tend to frequent proven establishments like Bite Into Maine.

So back to the roll at hand. Last December, our holiday luncheon for work took place at The Boathouse in Kennebunkport, Maine. The Boathouse is a waterfront hotel and restaurant located on the banks of the Kennebunk River. It's a bright and sunny spot with super views. I honestly wouldn't mind going back and trying something else on the menu because, you guessed it, I wasn't impressed with their lobster roll.

The Lobster Roll
Mayo, lemon, chive, New England roll
$28

Like many I've disliked, at first glance, it looked so yummy. Lettuce-less and full of lightly mayo'd lobster, I happily dove in. And unhappily forced myself to finish... The main problem with this lobster roll was the temperature of the meat – it was ICE cold. So cold that it gave the lobster a slimy texture that did not work for me.

I honestly never in my life thought I would have complaints on the temperature of lobster meat. It didn't necessarily taste frozen, but it appeared that were keeping the crustacean on ice... lots and lots of ice. When I think back, I kind of roll my eyes at myself because holy crap, am I that much of a lobster snob that I need to have it at an optimum temperature to not bitch and whine about it? I was so distracted by it that I didn't even really grumble about the bready roll which I also sort of hated.

Also, can we just talk about the price? You've got to be pretty full of yourself to charge $28 for a mediocre lobster roll. Geez, even Red's Eats doesn't charge that much and if you've been there, you know what I'm talking 'bout. I now direct my eye-rolling at the person who sets the pricing on this menu. It was a rare occasion that I would've been happy for a "Market Price" tag.

Now that spring is here, expect to see more here on the blog. And hopefully, I'll have some kick-ass lobster rolls this season that blow my socks off! As per usual, if you have a favorite I should add to my list, let me know!

Kennebunkport Prelude Lobster Roll: Alisson's Restaurant & Pub

For the past few years, I've been trying to get down to see the Nubble Lighthouse in York all lit up for Christmas. Stuff happens and life gets in the way and I would always end up missing the window. But the stars aligned this holiday season and we found a Sunday evening to venture down south to see the lighthouse... and apparently so did every other human in the state. With a layer of fresh snow beckoning, the place was packed with hopeful photographers eager to get that perfect shot.

Lighthouses make me happy. Lighthouses decked in white lights make me downright giddy. So despite the cold weather and frigid wind, we hung out and snapped pics as the sky continued to darken. And behind us, the sky turned a brilliant orange as the sun disappeared. And then I was hungry.

We headed up Route 1 passing through quaint coastal town after quaint coastal town brilliantly decorated for the holidays. It was a lovely drive that found us making the right hand turn and heading into a quiet Kennebunkport to find a place to grab some dinner. We ended up at Alisson's Restaurant & Pub where a lively crowd had gathered and football graced every television screen.

After careful review of the menu, I settled on the Famous Maine lobster Roll. Duh. Mounds of Maine lobster lightly mixed with mayo in a grilled roll, served with french fries, coleslaw or deviled-egg potato salad for $19.95. When my meal arrived, I was quite pleased to see it served in a jumbo hot dog bun (that could've been toasted just a tad more) with a respectable amount of lobster meat. But that's where my pleasure ended. Sadly the potato salad was the best part of my dinner.

I'm not exactly sure what the problem was. The lobster meat didn't taste that great. It definitely wasn't a case of too much mayo or frozen lobster meat. It just tasted off. Well... not off enough that I didn't finish the sandwich, but it was definitely not making any headlines for me. I know there was fresh lobster available since I watched my husband devour the twin lobster special. (Or maybe the fresh lobster was reserved just for that special.) Dunno... it was a real head scratcher for me.