As lovers of lobster, we have enjoyed spending our last four years at Bowdoin. Living in Maine, the Mecca of lobster, it is easy to find significantly cheaper and fresher specimens than virtually anywhere else you may go. So, during our last spring in this great state, we have decided to determine who serves Maine’s best lobster roll. We will journey to the shacks, bars and restaurants boasting critically-acclaimed lobster rolls in order to see who truly has the best. We have compiled a list of perennial picks to try to narrow our search and hit all the favorites.
We began our search for lobster roll supremacy a few exits down 295 South in Falmouth. As many of southern Maine’s more famous and prominent lobster shacks are still closed for their winter off-season—namely Red’s Eats of Wiscasset or The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport—Town Landing Market in Falmouth provided us with the perfect starting point for our quest. Set on a hill a short walk from Falmouth’s Town Landing (the market’s namesake) this traditional New England market with an ocean backdrop is exactly where you’d expect to find a great lobster roll.
Town Landing Market is very much a market or small grocery, selling various snack foods, produce and drinks, with a small sandwich counter positioned in the back of the store. As we made our way toward the counter, our confidence in finding a great lobster roll began to grow. A handwritten sign reading, “Lobster Rolls $13.99,” and an elderly gentleman breaking down a substantial pile of lobster meat into generous sandwich-sized portions were encouraging signs to say the least.
One of the benefits of venturing away from the tourist-filled seasonal lobster shacks is avoiding long wait times. We both ordered our rolls with lettuce, salt, pepper and light mayo. The chance to watch the construction of our lobster rolls only added to the experience, and they were ready within minutes.
Lobster rolls in hand, we headed to the water in order to take in the full experience. Even after our first bites, the freshness of the lobster came through, complemented nicely by the creaminess of the mayo and the light seasoning. Those ingredients, coupled with the doughy hot dog roll and the crunchy lettuce, provided the perfect texture.
The bun was small given the generous lobster portion. We were both anxious about the portion size, but as we finished eating our rolls, we found ourselves satisfied. Although the roll was delicious, it lacked the fresh Maine taste in some respects. Town Landing Market did not offer a butter-only lobster roll (which many great lobster spots do) or a fresh bread option—the bun was simply an out-of-the-bag hot dog roll.
The area around the market is gorgeous and it is a great place to grab a bite, but it doesn’t appear Town Landing Market will take home the gold for best lobster roll in Maine. That being said, for $13.99, Town Landing Market offers one of the cheaper options you’ll find at well-known lobster roll destinations, and the atmosphere and scenery make it well worth the trip. It offers a slice of traditional New England without the lines and hysteria that come with many of Maine’s seasonal lobster shacks.
Jam of the week: In order to properly garnish your lobster roll, it is imperative you have a catchy tune or a nightclub banger to help bring out the flavor. This week’s song is a heater out of Sweden from DJ Adrian Lux, titled “Teenage Crime.” The song was featured on Swedish House Mafia’s debut album in 2010. Just as Swedish House Mafia planned to disband, “Teenage Crime” resurfaced as one of 2013’s hot tracks. This is a perfect song for driving along the Maine coast searching for a fresh lobster roll.
Price: $$$/5
Roll: ***/5
Criticisms: A little heavy on the mayo. Bun lacked creativity and freshness.
Overall: B