Winter on the Upper West Side of New York is a strange time and place to open a lobster shack. Where’s the beach, for example? Where’s the sun? The seagulls? It’s hard to conjure up seafood by the seashore when you’re standing thigh-deep in slush.
…But open it did – Luke’s, that is – on Amsterdam, between 80th and 81st and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. I’m an actor; I can pretend it’s summer.
Luke’s first shack opened on the Lower East Side in 2009 and with its success, added two sister shacks uptown – Upper East Side and one smack in the middle of our Culinary Wasteland. Luke’s story has already been well documented: born and bred in Maine; working as an investment banker in New York; his father runs a seafood packing plant in his hometown in Maine; he decides to partner up with his dad and bring the true Maine lobster roll to New York City. The rest is history, which means to say that Luke’s lobster roll is considered if not the best in town, certainly one of the best.
…….There have been quibbles, of course. I read all the blogs:
…………………..1. Some say the roll is a little pricey — $15.00. I think it’s a steal,
…………………..given the amount of lobster piled onto it;
…………………..2. Some say that during the depths of the winter months, the lobster
…………………..meat is frozen. This is true – admitted to by Luke himself. You
…………………..don’t get fresh in the middle of the winter. That’s life on the
…………………..lobster boat, folks. But the frozen meat is easily good enough –
…………………..given the butter-toasted bun and the sprinkle of celery salt — to
…………………..transport this old East-Coaster into the middle of July.
…………………..3. Some born-and-bred-in-Maine types insist you can’t get a real
…………………..lobster roll outside of Maine, Yeah. Duh.
The meat of the matter.
The reason this sandwich rises above the crowd is that it seems like there’s nothing in it but lobster – lobster piled generously onto a butter-toasted bun. That’s it. This also is the secret to a great crab cake, by the way – that it gives the impression there’s nothing in it but crab. It’s not true in either case, but that’s okay. The art is to give the impression – just lobster – buttery rich, sea-scented chunks of Maine lobster – chunks – not strands or tendrils or bits that are drowned in mayonnaise, choked with celery, sugared like breakfast cereal — but big, satisfying perfectly-cooked chunks to bite into. Oh baby, oh baby.
I like the size of it – meaning it’s not too big. It’s contained in a hot
dog bun. Lunch, for me, is best when it’s not such a big production, because
I know that in just a few hours I’m going to be tucking into a big dinner with
wine. I can’t do both or I’ll never get down to 135 pounds. Lunch for me,
ideally, is about half the volume of what I consume at dinner. So lobster
piled onto a bun is just about perfect. Or I guess I could have a salad.
Welcome to the neighborhood, Luke!
PLEASE bring me one next time you come!
(or two)
Hi Michael and Jill,
I will be in Spoletto May 18th through May 23rd and would love to see you if you will be in Italy then. I read your blog and your books. If I can write to you in New York that would be great too or this is fine.
Mary Kinzelberg-(Chet’s widow) Matt is 25 and lived in Italy for a while.
Ahem! Excuse me, but over here in Red Hook they specialize in having the best of what they’ve got.Afterall, it’s all they’ve got. Take the Lobster Rolls, for instance. And yes! They are fresh. I know because I have to hold back the tears every time I go over there and they pull another helpless, gesticulating fellow out of the tank and back through the swinging doors to the kitchen where they mix up their poetic lobster salads. Our man Kevin charges the same price as your man Luke, but I challenge you any day to a Lobster Roll duel that I know you can’t resist! Btw, just ask your wife, she’s already tried ours. Oh, didn’t she tell you?
I have loved all your books, and, of course, your movies and tv shows. Your blog has been a wonderful wealth of knowledge shared.
Many thanks! I cannot wait to get to Lukes! And if I hadn’t read your blog I wouldn’t have been aware of Eataly, which I now love!
Thanks for sharing your great insight!
Cheers, Sante and Grazie!
The price is great for that lobster roll. We go to Lenny’s in Branford CT and pay $19 for the roll, fries and cole slaw and it is also worth it. Lenny’s should not be confused with Lenny and Joe’s Fishtale in Madison and Westbrook Ct which is also outstanding with their fresh seafood entrees. Many years ago, my wife stayed at a residential hotel on Amsterdam Ave for work, and we would visit the multitude of wonderful neighborhood restaurants in the area…. how lucky you all are.
@ Robin – Okay. I accept your challenge for a duel — lobster rolls at six paces. What’s the name of the place in Red Hook? At least we should give them a plug.
@ Camille – welcome to the blog; benvenuti.
@ Greg – thanks for the info on Lenny’s; spread the word.
@ Zagreus – welcome, brother. Lobster rolls for all.
Buongiorno Michael & Jill..!
Cosa un panino aragosta..! Forse con un po’ di Brunello…? Assolutamente..! Ciao, ciao….! Stefano (Transplanted from Brooklyn to Santa Barbar…! Beh…!) :- ) Stai Attento…!!!
Santa Barbara, CA that is..! Cattivo grammatico…!!!
@ Steve – Ciao. Il panino é meglio con una birra fresca, no?
Mi accordo…! Birra della spina, ovvero migliore, in San Gimignano con una vernaccia, mentre sedendo sulla cisterna (il pozzo) in la Piazza della Cisterna..! :- ) Il mio moglie e mio figlio (ha otto anni) tutti e due amare San Gimignano, Colle val d’Elsa – il villagio alto, Montepulciano, Castellina… Abbiamo amici in Colle… Ci visitiamo Toscana una volta ogni anno.. Ho stato imparando Italiano ora approssimativamente due anni. Insegnando mi stesso. Dopo un po’ di auitare da Rosetta Stone..! Almeno quindici ore ogni settimana… Sono ossessiato…!!! Sono Siciliano, la mia moglie, Danese.. Beh…!!!! :- ) Il tuo libro, ‘Vivendo in una Lingua Straniera’. Era fantastico..! Grazie… Sono troppo geloso..! Ho proprio ordinato ‘Famiglia Pasti… Venedo Insieme…’..!! Ci siamo cercando da un appartamento in vicino a Firenze. Vediamo…. Stai caldo mio amico. Con una stretta di mano in pensiero…! Steve (Stefano)
…so, the summer of 1959 I worked at the Arundle Opera House in Kennebunkport Maine. In the village (it WAS a village then) there was a shack that sold lobster rolls. I think they cost 50 cents. OH MY GOD! Your post has given me an acid flashback – not LSD – didn’t exist then… at least for me… but who needed it when there was all that great lobster. Thanks for the memories… and we’ll have to go to lunch next time we’re in town.
xo ra
@ René — 50 cents? Well, that puts it all in perspective. How much was the LSD?
Makes me think of my recent and 1st trip to Boston. Amazing little city. Great food, no doubt.
I was staying at the Parker House hotel, historic birthplace of Boston Creme pie and the Parker House roll (so I am told). All good, but what was making my mouth water was the thought of the succulent chunks of delicately steamed lobster, nestled snuggly into that soft, toasted and buttery roll. The Lobster Roll.
Sadly, my bubble was rudely burst when I took my first bite…raw onion…lots of raw onion. Lobster? What lobster? Oh, well. Give me another piece of that pie.