Penobscot Bay Lobster Roll: Young's Lobster Pound

One afternoon we found ourselves, along with some out-of-town guests, wandering around the cool little town of Belfast. It's not a place I've ever spent any time so when the question of where to go to lunch came up, I immediately jumped on Yelp. Young's Lobster pound has 4.5 stars so that sealed the deal. We had no idea what our trip to Young's would bring.

First impressions of this dining establishment are not what I would call inviting. It's a large metal warehouse (hence lobster pound) with a very poorly managed ordering area. The place was packed when we arrived and it seemed like there was no rhyme or reason to how the ordering worked - where to order, where to pick up, where to pay.

Once we finally ordered our food, the young man helping us says, "14,002." I said, "Excuse me?" He said the number again and I told him I had no idea what that number meant. He said it was our order number. Um, ok - so you just pulled that number out of your ass? This experience was not getting off on the right foot and I had worries that our guests were going to be in for a good ol' fashioned dining disaster.

Lobster Roll with Chips & Pickle: $20.95

Once we ordered, we headed out back to the outside dining area which was basically a cement pier on the waterfront with a shit ton of picnic tables and not an umbrella in sight. Luckily we found the one table with at least one side in the shade for our non-sun lovers. (There is an indoor upstairs eating area if the blazing sunshine isn't for you!)

I've eaten a LOT of lobster rolls in my lifetime so I generally have a vision of what it should look like. So when this lobster roll came out on a hamburger bun, my head almost exploded. This is not supposed to happen. Who ARE these people who would serve me my lobster roll on a sesame seed HAMBURGER BUN?? I was appalled. I was confused. I did not have a good feeling about this whole experience.

Let's deconstruct the sandwich. The bun was toasted on the inside. There was lettuce. There was mayo on the bun. There was a boatload of lobster - both claws and tail.

There's so much here that doesn't fit my perception of the ideal lobster roll. But I'm here to tell you people that looks can be deceiving and this lobster roll was absolutely delicious. DELICIOUS! The meat was cooked perfectly and it was sweet and salty. The mayo wasn't mixed in - just spread on the bun like a regular sandwich would be. And I didn't hate the lettuce - probably because I didn't feel like it was used as filler.

It all just worked. And despite the weirdness of the experience overall - I wouldn't hesitate to visit this place again. This time more prepared with booze (it's BYOB) like everyone else had with them! Believe the Yelp, my friends, this place is worth every star!

PS. I was told by one of my group that the crab roll was the best he'd ever had.

This Lobster Roll Sits on a Throne of Lies: Scarborough Fish & Lobster

The title for this blog post just came tumbling out of my head when I was thinking back to the feelings I had about this lobster roll. My plan was to change it but as time passed, I just figured it was appropriate. Maybe the next person won't get duped like I did.

The lie starts before you even get in the door of Scarborough Fish & Lobster on Route 1 in Scarborough. There's a folding roadside sign boasting "Maine's Best Lobsta Roll." Now I've had a lot of lobster rolls around this state and I'm not sure I can even say there's a best. I have favorites for different reasons – but honestly, I have yet to encounter the perfect lobster roll experience. Don't make claims you can't stand behind.

The order is simple – Lobster Roll - $13. I'm 99% sure this is the second cheapest lobster roll I've reviewed on this blog after the Patch's Variety disaster of 2018. As I sat at a semi-dirty picnic table amongst several steaming lobster pots, I wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into. I desperately hoped to be pleasantly surprised.

The lobster roll was delivered to the table and at first glance, I was impressed with the presentation. The full claws sticking out each end of the roll was an adorable touch, but that's where my praise screeches to a whiplash-inducing stop. As I inspected the status of the hot dog bun, I noticed I was given an end roll – so it's like getting a sandwich using the part of the bread that almost every single person will reach past for the good slices. Was I being targeted? Did I snub someone in the kitchen? To add insult to injury, it was over toasted and not buttered – not a good start.

Could the lobster be this roll's only semi saving grace? The answer to that question would be not a chance. It was tasteless. It was sad. It was a complete waste of my time. So much so that I don't even want to waste any more time writing about this disaster. Over and out on this one.

Sorry, Scarborough Fish & Lobster... I had high hopes for this quirky little seafood shack.

Fore Street Lobster Roll: Maine Lobster Shack

The Maine Lobster Shack opened last summer on Fore Street in Portland, a few doors down from the Five Guys (or for you old folks like me, where the Blue Moon used to be!!) I've been wanting to try it since I first heard about it but could never seem to get my lazy ass in gear – until a few days ago when I finally made it! I walked in at lunchtime and immediately got nervous at the lack of other customers. Ohhhhh crap... what had I gotten myself (and my lunch companions) into? I'm hoping it's just a lack of knowledge causing the emptiness.

The first thing I noticed was the beer list because that's usually my first order of business. They get extra points for having a sour on tap - Oxbow's Moon Rocks - which was delicious, by the way!

And then I started in on the menu. They offer three different Lobster Rolls:

Maine Lobster Roll - $19
Lobster meat mixed with mayo, a hint of celery, lemon, salt & pepper.
"Hint of celery" – WTF? I almost got up and walked out.

Brown Butter Lobster Roll - $19
Warm lobster meat w/ brown butter.
No way – I've been burned by the promises of brown butter before so unless your restaurant name begins with Even and ends in Tide, cut the shit.

Umami Lobster Roll - $21
Lobster meat, smoked oyster kewpie, crispy shallots, lemon zest.
I'm sorry, come again? Kewpie? WHAT THE HELL IS KEWPIE? All I could picture was little creepy doll heads staring up at me from my plate. Pass.

I decided to go with the Maine Lobster Roll and in an unprecedented move since I started blogging about lobster rolls, I asked them to leave that evil celery off. Normally, I'd just grin and bear it and then completely chastise them for it, but I just friggin' hate celery. So I told the waitress that putting celery on a lobster roll is sacrilege and to tell whoever was making these rolls they should never put celery on them... ever. If you take a look at their website, it actually says "Welcome to the Way Rolls Should Be" which made me roll my eyes so far back into my head, I'm pretty sure I saw my brain. Celery is for amateurs.

The celery incident caused dread to fill every crevice of my soul as I wondered if this thing could possibly be any good... And then it arrived. I inspected the roll – possibly brioche but buttered and grilled to my standards. The lobster meat was plentiful, although all claws and knuckles which sometimes isn't a good thing. If you don't cook those lobsters right, the tips of the claws get all chalky tasting which can seriously torpedo a perfectly good sandwich. As for the dressing, light mayo, chives and a dusting of lemon zest rounded out this Maine Lobster Roll.

I squeezed my eyes shut and dove in, not sure what to expect. On the outside, it looked like a tasty offering. And guess what? It WAS! The brioche roll was not overpowering and the amount of lobster was enough to offset any breadiness. The lobster was properly cooked and flavorful with no chalky claw tips (bonus!) The dressings were subtle and the addition of the lemon zest was an enjoyable surprise.

Honestly, if you're looking for a really good, traditional lobster roll in Portland's Old Port, this is the best one I've had so far! (For those of you who are rolling your eyes because I didn't say it was Eventide, I said "traditional.") Give 'em a try... the fries are good too!

Webhannet Drive Lobster Roll: Wells Beach Lobster Pound

Oh man... Memorial Day Weekend... the official start of summer. And naturally, the official start of lobster roll season! Mainers have been struggling with the will to live this spring with below normal temperatures and buckets of rain, but the holiday weekend gave us a jolt of sunshine and warm temps for three consecutive days (with only a little rain mixed in for good measure, or to keep us on our toes.) I was heading out of town for a couple days so I felt the need to kick the weekend off with a lobster roll.

My destination: Wells Beach Lobster Pound. It was 72° when I left my house and I had grand visions of grabbing my roll and sitting on the retaining wall overlooking the water in front of the lobster pound. But as usual with this time of year, the ocean water temperature was so much colder than the air, keeping the temp a chilly 58° at the coast. Whatever, the view was still nice and it wasn't snowing so I call that a win.

I ordered my lobster roll the only way it comes - Lobster Roll - $16.99.

I was pleased with the initial appearance of my lobster roll.
Traditional split top roll... ✔
Acceptable amount of lobster meat... ✔
No stupid lettuce... ✔
Light mayo... ✔

The roll was toasted but not buttered and grilled. I never quite understand this approach since, for me, the state of the bread component is crucial. Of course, toasting is better than nothing but definitely second to buttery, grilled deliciousness.

Dressed with just a touch of mayo, the lobster meat tasted so oceany, it was clearly cooked in sea water. And the saltiness of the lobster made the mayo taste almost seasoned – I was so confused I actually had to back into the lobster pound to ask about it. Don't get me wrong, I really liked it. There's just something about being able to taste the ocean in a lobster roll that makes me so happy. I'm not saying it was perfect, but I definitely didn't want to throw it on the ground so that's a plus.

For you traitors non-lobster-roll-lovers, there's a bunch of other stuff on their menu - fried and otherwise. Also, I love a place that has those big, shallow lobster tanks so you can gawk at all the future lobster rolls crawling all over each other. There was one dude in that tank with a claw the size of my fist. It's not the most quaint looking place, but there's a pretty view and good lobster rolls... so if you're down that way, give it a try.

Cornish Lobster Roll: Bay Haven Lobster Pound

I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe I've had too many lobster rolls. Maybe I've had too many sub-par lobster rolls. Whatever it is, it's starting to get me down. I'm in need of a winning streak – and every time I have a less than stellar lobster roll, I have to go somewhere I know I'm going to always get a good one – like a cleanse.

You might think... how hard could it be? Cook the lobster, pick the lobster, put picked lobster on a grilled hot dog roll and voila, it's done. Well, I can attest that the lobster roll is a complicated friggin' art form. It's not as easy as it looks and not everyone can do it. Case in point - Bay Haven Lobster Pound in Cornish, Maine.

I know what you're thinking – it's my own damn fault for traveling to Cornish for a lobster roll – but we've heard things about this restaurant from many people. The food supposedly good and plentiful. Plentiful, yes... good, well, that's debatable. I had high hopes for this roll because it was only $14. Practically free!

But alas, as soon as it arrived in front of me I knew it was going to be a dud. That piece of lettuce was wedged in there so tightly, there was no removing it without dismantling the entire roll. And while the lobster didn't taste bad exactly, the pieces were too big and chewy and we all know how I feel about having to gnaw off bites of my lobster like a damn wolverine. The only thing they got right was the toasted bun.

In addition to the lobster roll, I also gave their lobster stew a try. This is my second favorite lobster dish to try everywhere I go. The standard is high considering I haven't found anyone to even come close to the deliciousness of a piping hot bowl of DiMillo's lobster stew. And Bay Haven fell short. The broth was bland, lacking the buttery goodness of the stew champion. The lobster was almost all claw meat and tasted slightly overdone.

All in all, the trip to Cornish was pretty disappointing. The other members of my party weren't overly impressed with their meals either. Oh well... you win some, you lose some. Just seems like I've been on the losing end quite a bit this year.

Bernard Lobster Roll: Thurston's Lobster Pound

It's a raw and crummy day so let's reminisce about nicer weather back in September when I was lucky enough to dine at Thurston's Lobster Pound in Bernard, Maine. If you're not familiar with Bernard, it's just south of Acadia National Park on the opposite side of Bass Harbor.

We had never heard of Thurston's and it was definitely not on our radar for someplace to eat during this trip. But in our search for sustenance, this one kept popping up on the interwebs so what the hell... What the hell, indeed! When we pulled into the parking lot at 5:30pm, there was already a line way out the door. I think that's a sign of good food so we didn't mind waiting.

While we waited outside, it was fun to see the employees pop out to the back steamer and throw in numbered bags filled with lobster and steamers and corn. But I already had my eye on the lobster roll. Weird, right? I ordered the Jumbo Lobster Roll for $24.49 – filled to the brim with our famously fresh, handpicked lobster meat. We lightly toss those claws, tails, and knuckles with mayo and pile them on a grilled bun with a bed of lettuce. No fancy stuff necessary. Available in two sizes. (Don't forget a fork for the big one.)

At first glance, I was a little disappointed in the roll vs. lobster ratio (and I definitely wasn't going to need that fork.) The roll looked gigantic and it seemed that maybe there could've been just a little more meat – I'm a fan of the overflowing lobster roll. I also don't appreciate it when the ends of the bun are naked. And the lettuce (ugh)... at least that was easy enough to pluck out.

When I finally took a bite, I was surprisingly pleased. The meat was sweet, salty and tender, with bite-sized pieces, very little mayo and a nicely toasted bun. It came with chips too. I do think it could have been more "jumbo" then it was.

All in all, this was a pretty cool place right on Bass Harbor. (They also serve wine and beer.) But if you're interested in giving it a try, you'll have to wait until the spring – they're now closed for the winter. Maybe if I wasn't a lazy asshole, I could've gotten the review written before the snow fell.