The Linda Bean, Perfect Maine Lobster Roll; Hull

[galleygirl]

Has anyone been to the lobster roll kiosk in Hull yet? Yumyum, I think you need to go to the mats on this one, as supported of the outstanding Kelly' roll....

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/...

[CocoDan]

I would like to offer a sure fire option. On your way to Hull, stop at the Hingham Lobster Pound, order a lobster roll, and take it to Nantasket beach. Then begin to eat one of the best lobster rolls this side of Kennebunk! They've been making them since before I was born, and there's no substitute for experience. They can't be beat. You won't be disappointed. Their clam roll is pretty darn good also.

What does L.L. Bean know about making lobster rolls, they make rubber boots. There you go!
Enjoy,
CocoDan

[jfboy]

I also have to second(or third, or fourth) the opinions about the hull operation. N-O-T good.

HEAVY seasoning, again with the overwhelming taste or celery salt and the roll wasn't done very good at all. I actually expected to have to wait a couple minutes for 'em to properly grill the roll, and insterad had two lobsta roll sandwiches at the window ready for me what seemed like less than a minute.

And I don't know about the actual freshness of the meat, ours had Z-E-R-O taste of anything even proximate to lobster. My wife, who has 40+ years in the NE seafood restaraunt business (retired) and is hands down, the best seafood preparer whose food I've ever had the pleasure of eating, speculated that it was processed and canned lobster meat. And like she said, as long as you process and can it as soon as it gets off the dock you can call it "fresh Lobster meat". My wife took one bite and heading for the bathroom, I followed about 25 minutes later.

But; also as mentioned, the pickles were awesome!!

[catsmeow]

I've been going to the Hingham Lobster Pound since I was old enough to eat solid food(many many many years ago) and can't believe I never even considered getting a lobster roll there. I don't get there very often and the clams are just so darn good,,,,,,

[jfboy]

"My Wife" is one of the original Daily's whose Mother & Father opened the Hingham Lobster Pound back in the 50's and ; Like she just said to me, worked there "as soon as she could reach the register".

They "cooked" their own Lobster for the rolls, tried to use primarily knuckle meat, culls ina pinch, a LITTLE mayo, a LITTLE diced celery(the real deal NOT celery salt), toasted rolls was customer option. And Thats it.

And like she also just said to me "if it wasn't fresh they didn't have it".

And the "breader" for the fried clams?? "Don't ask, don't tell" was the policy. Wife started breading "at the pound" when she was 12.

Ya wanna try some "take it home and do it yourself"??, try Lobster Express, brand new on Nantasket Pier. Lobster Pound and Fish Market, had some halibut outa there last week, ta "die for baby". Prepared by the best seafood cook around!!

[catsmeow]

"And the "breader" for the fried clams?? "Don't ask, don't tell" was the policy." Aw c'mon...pretty please with a cherry on top?

[Chris VR]

Is your wife the cook at Lobster Express?

[jfboy]

Negative, she's been "outa the business" for over 10 years.

[typhoonfish]

I wonder how Jake's feels about a fish market opening up next door. I've never seen two fish markets next door to each other.

[steinpilz]

Courthouse Seafood and New Deal in East Cambridge are about two blocks apart and have both been in business over 80 years (since 1912 for Courthouse), there's got to be some good competition going on there!

[RadioDining]

Linda Bean's just opened in Delray Beach, Florida last weekend. There was a line out the door of hungry New England transplants just dying to get their lobster roll fix. I got to the front of the line and saw them squirting this mayo mixture onto the roll and almost lost it. Roll was OK...not buttery tasting at all though. Lobster was all claw and was most DEFINITELY previously frozen and was topped with a sprinkling of dill. WHAT???? How can you screw this up? Take fresh lobster meat. Add a tiny bit of mayo and maybe a little celery for crunch. Put in buttered, grilled roll. What is so hard about that? Here in Delray, people will come in for their fix, but they'll never return....AND they'll warn their New England friends.

[Blumie]

I received the following emails from a friend of mine when I asked him about Linda Bean's:

Fri 7/3/2009 3:00 PM

Worst lobster roll ever. What a rip off.

Fri 7/3/2009 3:12 PM

Going to schooners now to get a real one!

Fri 7/3/2009 3:29 PM

Imagine if someone opened an ice cream shop next to Cabots and charged $8 for an ice cream cone and you got a mellon ball sized scoop of commercial ice cream on a joy waffle cone. . I predict Linda bean. Lobster roll in hull will not last more than a season....

[Trumpetguy]

Ouch! Guess I will pass...I heard an interview on the radio with her, saying she is trying to save Maine's lobster industry. I guess she should try harder.

[steinpilz]

I had a Hook's lobster roll today, celebrating the good weather, and realized that they don't toast their rolls. Somebody ought to get them a toaster oven, a toasted roll is essential (it was still very good).

Then later went on for some only ok oysters (off flavours), but good clams, at Marliave. I like that bar room very much, the breeze was great today.

[aejmusic]

I did the same thing last week... totally missed the toasted roll. And their was a little too much mayo for me but still ... lots of delicious lobster meat :-)

[bella_sarda]

Despite the untoasted roll, I like the Hook's lobster roll, and didn't find it to have too much mayo. In fact I was impressed by how much meat there was, and I liked that it was very simple, not covered up with too many seasonings. The lobster meat was impeccable.

[fmcoxe6188]

I had the exact same experience with the Hook roll. While I enjoy a toasted roll- I didnt feel as though the non toasted took anything away from it-esp with as much lobster meat as was in it. Honestly-Im not even sure if there WAS mayo in mine it was so light :-)

[aejmusic]

I'll have to go try them again! I grabbed mine during the tall ships weekend and they had a little booth set up outside with rolls ready to go. Perhaps on a less busy day when they are serving them from the fish market counter inside I'll get a better one :-)

[bakerboyz]

So has anyone tried this lobster roll yet?

[catsmeow]

I went this afternoon. I was really looking forward to a great lobster roll and was very disappointed. First, the lobster was all claw meat. The real issue was that it was mixed with lots of seasonings. There was definitly something that tasted along the lines of celery salt and then several seasonings that reminded me of turkey stuffing. The "grilled" roll was buttered and not grilled enough. It tasted like melted butter had been spread on the roll. There wasn't any browning to it. I could have lived with the roll if the lobster hadn't been seasoned. In addition to the seasonings, there was just a very light touch of mayo. The highlight.... the pickles. They were really delicious bread and butter ones. It also came with a choice of Cape Cod chips...plain or vinegar. I actually threw 1/2 the lobster roll away and I NEVER would even think of throwing lobster away. The lobster itself was very fresh but I just couldn't get past all the green stuff that overpowered it. Why try to "fix" a good thing? Price.....$14.95.

[Trumpetguy]

I might check it too! Maybe a fish taco, lobster roll crawl on Nantasket Beach :)

[yumyum]

I hear the call and obey. Next time I'm in Hull GG. Thanks for the tip.