Death by Fork: Lobster Roll
When I originally was thinking up names for this site, I thought of “Death By Fork” as a possibility. Those three words sum up how I feel on a regular basis when I’m out dining - stuffed to the gills and feeling as though that one of those seven deadly sins is speaking directly to me. As much as I love food, it certainly ain’t Lust that I’m talking about.
You’ll hear me often say that a dish killed me dead and it seems appropriate that Death By Fork live on as a series that highlights those aforementioned dishes. It seems fitting that the first installment of DxF begin with one of my biggest infatuations.
Lobster rolls. The quintessential food of New England. In my eyes, you can put a lobster roll on Maine’s state flag and I would be completely giddy over it. So it goes without saying that this last trip to New England did include consuming quite a few of these magical rolls. In reality, I probably had a few too many but I was hardly in a state to quibble over that minute detail. Come on now, I was too busy being blissed out on lobster and butter.
The obsession with lobster rolls started some seven years ago as I was walking down a street in Freeport, Maine on a crisp Fall afternoon. As I wandered, left to my own devices as my counterparts were shopping, I saw a man with a hot dog cart. But this wasn’t the kind of hot dog cart I was familiar with. No friends, this was a lobster cart. Now, I know this probably already sounds dodgy. What good can come of a lobster roll being served by some guy manning a dinky cart that you equate to dirty water dogs and some variety of stomach sickness, right? So, perhaps I was in a gambling kind of mood that day because I made a beeline to him and had the lobster roll that turned everything on it’s axis.
The lobster was irritatingly sweet, the mayo was restrained, and the bun was perfect and buttery. I inhaled that lobster roll and continued my stroll with the stupidest smile on my face. I knew then that everything had changed.
The seed was planted and it sprouted a deep-rooted, unwavering tree that beckons to me every time I see a lobster roll on the menu. Since then, I’ve tried what feels like every iteration of a lobster roll on the West Coast and nothing seems to come close to rivaling the rolls of it’s Eastern brethren. Even if the restaurant claims that they ship their lobster in from the East, it’s never quite the same, there is always something off. I have hunted up and down on this coast for anything remotely similar and I have yet to find a place that does this obsession justice.
When it comes to lobster rolls, admittedly, I am a bit of a purist. You see, lobster rolls are painfully simple and therein lies the rub. A grand departure from the tried and true and you’re walking a fine line. The lobster should be sweet and not masked or overpowered by other ingredients. The bun, traditionally a hot dog bun, should not be too thin or too thick. It should also be toasted and buttered, generously. If your version of a lobster roll involves mayo, I’m good with that, but it must be in the right quantity. Lobster thickly coated in mayo is a total turn-off. Adding in diced celery or scallion? I can be okay with that too provided they are chopped finely and do not detract from the main event. And those really are the biggest qualifiers in making a lobster roll damn near perfect to me. So, you’ll understand why the lobster roll at Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland threw me for a loop when I get into describing this gem.
I was first introduced to Eventide last October. I was in love with this place then, but this last visit really solidified the love affair. This joint venture from Chefs Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley, may only be two years old but their style makes me think a West Coast girl like me could willingly survive East Coast winters just to be near this place. In fact, if I did live within driving distance of Eventide, you’d have a hard time convincing me to try any other oyster bar. What they bring to the scene is a refreshed take on a total classic. You’ll still be able to get your favorites (like oysters on the half-shell with a mignonette) or you’ll get a little adventurous and try those same oysters with say a kimchi ice. Yeah, I said that. But let me say it again in case you needed to think about it one more time. Kimchi ice. If you haven’t already gone to Eventide, I have no idea why you’re still reading my silly words and not going immediately. Their ingredients are the epitome of freshness. I felt as though the chefs ran out to the dock, picked up the best things showing and hoofed it back to the kitchen to prepare our meal. It was that fresh. But, what I love most about this restaurant is that everything is small, so there is the ability to try a little bit of everything. They are totally speaking my language here.
So it is no surprise that the end all/be all of my lobster roll world came to a screeching halt last week. The fam and I were in Portland for a day trip and ended back at Eventide. On their menu is the Eventide Lobster Roll in three versions: Brown Butter, Mayo or Ginger Scallion. Staying true to my roots, I opted for the Mayo version. What came to the table was a perfect surprise. The roll was small, which could maybe be devoured in a maximum of five bites. But don’t let it’s diminutive size fool you. This guy was a definite contender. Off the bat, you notice the use of a steamed bun instead of the traditional buttered and toasted hot dog bun. The bun was loaded to the hilt with lobster - buttery, sublime lobster, delivered straight from the bountiful bosom of the sea and probably doted upon by Neptune himself so as to deliver me the most amazing lobster roll I’ve had in my life, period. I didn’t need to see anything else, I needed to taste it.
My mouth was watering and I was ready to rip into this roll but thought I should at least let our awesome server, Amy, put the wooden board down before I took her arm off (Hi Amy!). And everything that my eyes feasted upon was intoxicatingly, utterly exactly what I had thought. The use of a steamed bun did not under cut from the experience at all. I wasn’t missing or looking for that toasted hot dog bun of the lobster rolls of yore. Instead, it became this defectless vessel to convey this transcendent lobster. This crustacean was everything that I wanted him to be; there aren’t enough synonyms in my vocabulary to sing his praises. He was delicate, sweet, there was enough salt to remind me he is of the sea, and I couldn’t do anything else but say “Oh my God,” repeatedly. I’m sure the diners in the vicinity of my exaltations were conjuring up visions of Meg Ryan in that infamous scene at Katz’s Deli in “When Harry Met Sally.” For the record, the Eventide lobster roll obviously trumps her sandwich. Just saying.
This Death By Fork piece has clearly become my open love letter to Eventide and for obviously truly wonderful reasons. What I thought would be yet another classical New England oyster bar ended up being delightfully contemporary and inspiring. Their food and style is refined, elevated, presenting you with flavor profiles re-imagined and executed flawlessly. I wish I lived closer or that there was a West Coast outpost, but my cholesterol levels probably agree it’s best I only indulge in Eventide when I’m back East. Fair enough. In the battle of lobster rolls, the East reigns supreme and Eventide is it’s crowning jewel. You can bet I’ll be back sooner than later!
Now go fork that!!
Wanna go?
Eventide Oyster Co.
Address: 86 Middle St., Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (207) 774-8538