Lobster Roll Challenge

(Above: Lobster roll from B&G)

The weather got burning hot here in Boston, and I found myself craving the quintessential summertime sandwich – the lobster roll!  Greedily, I asked friends and family members to take part in a challenge around Boston to determine which restaurant hot spot serves up the best roll.  Let’s take a quick history lesson for our friends outside of New England (and even those inside that still don’t know the difference between a Maine and Connecticut lobster roll!).

Feelings have been hurt and friendships torn apart as a result of the Connecticut vs. Maine lobster roll debate.  Maine (or New England) lobster rolls are predominately made with a chilled lobster “salad”, lightly coated with mayonnaise, while the Connecticut lobster roll is filled with lobster tossed with hot butter.  Both are served on a hot, buttered hot dog roll and usually served with a side of fries (this is America after all).

Ashima enjoying her favorite lobster roll!

That being said, my friend Cat from London took part in the ultimate lobster roll competition between B&G Oysters and Neptune Oysters.  Having never had a lobster roll before in her life, it was determined that she would be the unbiased human specimen we needed.  Completely biased, I wanted to like Neptune Oyster, it being in my neighborhood and always having a line out the door.  The restaurant has received numerous awards for the best lobster rolls in the city.  Ashima, on the other hand, has given Barbara Lynch’s B&G soaring reviews and stubbornly believes they deserve recognition for the best lobster roll.  Happily accepting the challenge, we checked out both restaurants.  Neptune actually has both the Maine and Connecticut rolls, so Cat and I were able to order both and share.  I may be partial to the Maine lobster roll (again not sure if there’s a biased there being from New England), but Cat decided that they are both truly satisfying in their own way.  She noted that Maine lobster rolls were paired best with a picnic or at an outdoor sporting game, while the Connecticut roll would be perfect on a midsummer night’s eve.

(Above: Beautiful lobster chunks in B&G's roll!)

Without further ado, Cat and I both agreed that B&G’s lobster roll is superior.  In their lobster roll, colossal pieces of succulent lobster are lightly coated in a tart mayonnaise - the best part is that you can’t even see the mayonnaise!  Intense lobster flavors aren’t masked my globs of mayonnaise as they usually are, and each bite is a bite of lobster roll heaven.   Shout-out to Ash for introducing me to the perfect lobster roll!