Lobster Rolls

I've decided to try something a little different with my reviews from now on. I'm going to keep the "numbered" format of my previous reviews, but incorporate the ROUS initials of my site and make the format a bit more open to reviewing other types of things, like restaurants and the like.

Let me know what you think!

Reviews Of Unusual Size

Restaurants

RED'S EATS

Main St. & Water St., Wiscasset, ME
207-882-6128

Re: Originally opened in 1938 in Boothbay and moved to Wiscasset in 1954, Red's is a classic Lobster shack, about the size of a trailer and painted bright red. It sits on a busy intersection and depending on the day, you can't even see the building because of the line surrounding it and stretching along the road. Some people say Red's is the home of the World's Best Lobster Roll, and they come from miles to stand in line for the deceptively simple fare. A toasted frankfurt roll, a huge pile of perfectly steamed Maine Lobster and some clarified butter on the side.

Somewhere under that is a toasted bun.

Outstanding: The food, of course. There was a gentleman in line ahead of us that drove 6 hours to get a lobster roll. He waited with us for an hour, bought 4 of them and went away exceedingly happy. With good reason. The rolls are overflowing and ridiculously good. I'm not a lobster person and I was shocked at how tender, buttery and sweet the meat was. But what really blew me away was the service. We're talking about a little shack that had a line around the block on a weekday after tourist season, and Debbie, one of the owners was manning the counter and was as sweet and amazing as could be. She offered us cups of ice for our sodas and suggested the fried zucchini, fresh from her garden. There were easily 40 people behind us in line and not one was grumpy or impatient.

The line at Red's. Worth the wait, but daunting all the same.

Unacceptable: We waited in line for an hour. Which seems excessive, but we knew what we were getting into, and frankly, I think it was worth it. They also have pretty limited selections of food for non-seafood eaters like myself. Other than that? not much. I would have preferred the menu to be posted in a different spot, as it takes me forever to decide on food.

Summary: They might be right; this could easily qualify as the world's best lobster roll, but either way, sitting on a bench with the sun on our shoulders and a breeze drifting over the water, it was a spectacular lunch. Plan for the wait, but it's worth it.

5/5