Birthdays mean different things to different people.
They can mean reflection over the year past.
A time for gifts and celebration over what to come.
Or if you are me…
Huge plates of freshly killed crustaceans.
I jest…but not really…
For my birthday, we schlepped to Noank, CT.
Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough is the best lobster roll in America.
I mean it.
Why else would all these people be in line?
It isn’t for the casual, bare bones dining room.
It might be for the incredibly serene atmospehere.
What am I saying…who the hell cares about what it looks like?
Cause the real pull is this.
The lobster. Caught fresh that morning, or sooner. Filled with creamy, rich tomalley, soft bricks of roe that crush with a burst of brine in between your teeth, and…
lobster.
Rich, tender, meaty but also fresh tasting. So buttery they don’t even need butter.
Of course…a little butter never actually hurt anyone.
Or you can get the lobster roll.
A quarter pound of lobster meat, served cold mixed with mayo or hot with just melted butter.
The melted butter version is the best.
The way that the butter pools on the soft, sesame seeded bun. The way that the steam invades your mouth, filling it with the clean, breezy scent of the ocean.
The velvety mouthfeel of hot lobster.
It is a subtle dish focused on just one flavor.
If you want more variety, try the excellent oysters. Different eeach day, there are often ones from Abbott’s own bed. Small, creamy and mild, they are perfect with a touch of the very horseradish-y cocktail sauce.
Or help yourself to crabcakes – no fillers here. More like solidified crab dip than crab bound with bread, these are creamy, soft and gently crispy on the outside.
No fries here. Just a mild, sweet, mayonnaise-y slaw and some salty, oily housemade potato chips.
By the way…when talking about potato chips, salty and oily are positive adjectives.
And, really, all I have are positive adjectives for Abbott’s. So cheap for what you get: Beautiful scenery, relaxed atmosphere, FANTASTIC food.
Can’t wait till it’s my birthday again.
Can’t wait till it’s my birthday again.
oh. my. god. please take me there! HAPPY BIRTHDAY (again) TO MY #SOULMATE!