On Monday I received the Tasting Table (NY Times) newsletter featuring a new lobster roll stand run by the seafood restaurant Oceana on 49th St between 6th & 7th Ave. Oceana is a very well-regarded seafood restaurant, and I wanted to give their lobster roll a try.
At $15, it’s $1 less than Red Hook Lobster Pound and Luke’s Lobster – and with today being National Lobster Day, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try one.
They set up a small table on the side of Oceana, in the passageway that goes between 49th & 48th St. It’s a nice little spot, with tables and chairs, a few trees, and even a cool little waterfall towards the 48th St side.
They make a bunch of lobster rolls at once, wrap them in tin foil, sell them, and replenish the stock. They aren’t made fresh in front of your eyes, but they told me the rolls were made within the last 15 minutes. The roll wasn’t soggy, which seemed to back up their claim.
When I opened the foil, there was a top-sliced hot-dog bun filled with nice chunks of lobster. Although I wasn’t expecting lobster tail meat, it wasn’t all claw meat either. It was a nice mix.
The lobster meat had a little mayo and butter, even less celery, and nothing else. No salt, thyme, tarragon, or any other spices. The celery added an occasional crunch, but other than that, it was pure lobster and roll. The roll was soft and lightly toasted, too.
This was a delicious lobster roll. As I said, it was basically pure lobster meat, which is a good way to do it. You don’t really want to add much in the way of seasonings to lobster.
As with most lobster rolls, it’s not a big meal. Tasty, but not very filling. To help in that department, they also sell a large “smooshed” cookie for $2, which is a chocolate chip cookie and and oatmeal cookie “smooshed together”. I didn’t try one, but it was big and looked excellent.
If you’re around West 49th St and want a lobster roll, Oceana’s stand is a good choice. There’s even a nice park to sit in and eat lunch right there. We’re kind of partial to food trucks, but Oceana’s lobster roll is a good alternative if Red Hook and Luke’s are not in the area.
