Sea Salt Lobster in Saco, ME: Back in the Saddle Again!

Dear loyal readers... well hello again! After a bit of a lobster roll reviewing hiatus (2+ years... yikes), I'm back! I'm definitely not saying I haven't had a lobster roll in over two years, but of the three I ate in the summer of 2021, only one really warranted a review so I'll be going back to Erika's Seafood in Harpswell to get a do-over of what I remember to be a phenomenal roll. And we all remember the lobster prices during the summer of 2022 - I think I may have had only one last year. You honestly can’t be any more disappointed in me than I already am in me.

The new and improved lobster roll reviewer in me has decided to let go of many of my pet peeves in 2023 and just eat the damn lobster roll as it is served to me. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll order some of those not-so-traditional types and see what happens. So give me lettuce if you must… but just know, I still draw a hard line at celery. Celery will never belong in a lobster roll. NEVER.

On Saturday, I headed down to Sea Salt Lobster on Route 1 in Saco for lunch. Sea Salt opened in 2015 and according to the website, they're a modern take on Maine's Lobster Shack. The menu offers tastes ranging from traditional lobster and crab rolls to fried seafood options to burgers.

Sea Salt offers five different lobster rolls - each served with a choice of fries or house-made seasoned potato chips and cole slaw. Market Price was $30. We all know how I feel about “Market Price” but it’s become so common lately, it’s hard to fault a place for doing it.

Saco: Mixed with mayo with iceberg lettuce

OOB: Warm mixed with butter

Town Line: Mixed with mayo topped with melted butter served with iceberg lettuce

Biddeford Pool: Mixed with mayo, bacon, lettuce and tomato

Kennebunkport: Mixed with cilantro lime aioli with red pepper pickled cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and cajun

I ordered the Town Line because if you offer me mayo AND butter, I’m going to pick that option every single time! It was pretty damn decadent. The buttery, perfect grill on the New England-style hot dog roll immediately made my mouth water. And yes, there was lettuce, but not a ton and it was shredded and did not act as a filler. The lobster was prepared well and tossed in mayo and then doused in more butter. If there’s enough butter present so it’s basically running down my arm as I eat the roll, that is a good day! I went with the house-made chips which were delicious, and my lunch date said the fries were great too!

Sea Salt is a cute little restaurant with a good selection of beer, wine, and cocktails and a great spot for lunch or dinner. Next time I might have to try the Biddeford Pool because, well, BACON! 

Cundy's Harbor Lobster Roll: Holbrook's Lobster Wharf + Grille

Just another summer evening and a drive up to the Mid Coast. That seems to be our go-to activity in these weird, germy times. My biggest fear is that I'm going to leave my house and forget my mask. Our destination: Cundy's Harbor... or Cundy's Hahbah, depending on where you're from. I guess I say the latter. 

There's really not much happening in this Harpswell neighborhood unless you're a lobsterman or a local. Regardless, I'll never take for granted being able to hop in the car to drive a coastal route or just find a spot to stare out at the ocean. I would seriously sell a kidney to be able to afford to live on the coast with its cool ocean breezes and sticky salt air. To be woken up by the squawking seagulls rather than the neighbor's obnoxiously loud chickens.

Ok... that's enough dreaming for one afternoon. Let's get down to the good stuff. We stumbled upon Holbrook's Lobster  Wharf + Grille on our drive and just in the nick of time as the "hangries" were starting to set in (that's the last time I forget to eat my post-work snack!) My first thought was that this place was completely adorbs. Pots and baskets of flowers littered every surface and there was ample outdoor seating along the wharf. We picked out a spot at the very end overlooking the water where we were entertained by a seal on the hunt for his dinner.

Lobster Roll: $18.99

I'll start with the high points of the lobster roll. This thing was delicious - the best tasting lobster I've had all summer. I'm guessing that crustacean went from trap to table to my trap all in the span of about 30 minutes. I haven't had lobster that tasted that salty and fresh in a long time. It made my heart and my taste buds wicked happy! The roll wasn't overly stuffed, but the meat in it was top quality and flavor. If it was mixed with any mayo, it was not easily detected. The roll was nicely toasted and served its purpose of holding all that beautiful lobster together while not contributing a whole lot to the overall flavor. 

As usual, the low points of the experience make me sound like a picky asshole. Would you believe me if I said I was trying to be better about that? No? Me neither. 

The price was the first thing that irked me. I found $18.99 to be high for just the lobster roll. No chips, no coleslaw, no pickle... nothing included at all. I didn't even get a plate to put it on. It just came in its little ol' cardboard holder. That's what happens when two people order two meals and there's one tray of food. I splurged an extra $2.99 for a small side of rather tasty potato salad. And if you're going to charge nineteen bucks for a lonely lobster roll, at least fill the bun until it's threatening to burst.

But seriously, if you're in the area, swing in for a bite. I also think this joint might be a BYOB establishment... or the people sitting near us may have just smuggled in the booze illegally. Next time I'll show up prepared!

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!

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!

Two Lights Lobster Roll: The Lobster Shack

Set just beyond the rocky coast of Cape Elizabeth, with a view of the ocean on one side and a lighthouse on the other, The Lobster Shack is a quintessential Maine attraction. Some days, the sea is angry and crashes against the rocks with such force, you're not sure even the picnic area is safe. It's off the beaten path but summer sees endless hoards of tourists waiting in line for its oceanic wares. Which is exactly why I make sure to get my trip in before Memorial Day!

The Lobster Shack is heralded by some as the place to go for a lobster roll in Maine. Maybe that's for the view because the roll isn't anything that's going to knock your socks off. They serve a classic lobster roll, served on a toasted hot dog bun with a fair amount of meat -- not overflowing the bun by any means but I didn't have to set out a search party to find the lobster. There's a blob of mayonnaise on top along with a sprinkling of what I'm assuming is paprika and a pickle. The mayo blob is easily removable if you're not a fan of that condiment and the pickle was an unneccessary (and a tiny bit confusing) garnish.

Presentation of my Lobster Roll Boat was typical of any restaurant with the word "shack" in the title... served in a cardboard "boat" with fries and some cole slaw. The fries were delish, but the cole slaw was just mediocre. The roll was toasted but just barely and not that buttered toasted bun that I love so much. And you can't really tell from the picture, but there was lettuce under that lobster. The most minuscule crumbs of iceberg that left me wondering why bother.

The price was... can you guess? Yup, Market Price. [insert major eye roll here] I mean, I get it... the price of seafood can fluctuate depending on supply and demand. But why can some restaurants say here, this is the price, and others can't? Won't? [another eye roll]

Overall, the Lobster Shack serves a pretty good lobster roll. It's not one that makes my taste buds twirl in happiness, but the lobster is fresh and tasty and I never felt like I was eating too much bread. Also, the sheer beauty of the rocky Maine coast is reason to make a trip -- especially if you're an out of towner.