I left the job I've been at for the past five-plus years last Thursday and gave myself a little time off before I start my new job (more on that soon), so last Friday I was free to join Daisy for her Summer Lunch Series.
It is nearly impossible to find a hot, buttery lobster roll around here, and I had heard that Neptune Oyster, located in Boston's North End, is known for that very thing, so I asked if we could go there. I won't get into how terrible I think it is to ruin perfectly good lobster with mayo, but I will tell you that not much can beat a hot, buttery lobster roll, so I was really looking forward to our lunch -- both to catch up with Daisy and to satisfy my lobster roll craving.
We met outside Neptune Oyster around 12:30 p.m. and found out we'd have to wait about 30 minutes for a table. We wandered in and out of some nearby shops and then sat on benches along the greenway soaking in a little sun while we waited.
We headed back over a little bit later, and a waitress showed us to a table right in the middle of the tiny restaurant. We were in a celebratory mood and each ordered a glass of prosecco to have with our lunch.
A waiter had dropped off menus and a slip of paper with oyster selections. We already knew we were going to split a lobster roll, so we began looking through the oyster choices. I had tried Kusshi oysters at Taste of the Nation and loved them for their small size and cucumber finish, so we ordered two of those. Daisy is a big fan of Wellfleet oysters (as am I), so she suggested two of those. The last oysters we added were the Kumamoto, which neither of us had tried before.
We expected our oysters to come out first, but we actually got the lobster roll before them. No sense letting it get cold -- so we dug right in.
Was it everything I'd hoped it would be? Oh, yes. The chunks of fresh lobster meat were generously coated with butter and piled on a soft, grilled roll. And the fries that complemented the roll were hot and well seasoned. I know where to go next time I need a lobster roll! Though I will have to save the visits for a special treat as the lobster roll costs $25.
To wash down the lobster roll, we worked our way through the oysters.
We started to the right of the lemons with the Wellfleet oysters. I spooned some of the mignonette on mine and slurped it down. It was the saltiest of all the oysters we ordered and had a buttery finish.
Next I tried the Kumamoto oyster, which I thought was way too big to be grouped in the "small" category. This oyster was described as being very creamy with hints of honeydew melon. I definitely noticed the creaminess of it, but I may have drowned out the hints of honeydew melon with more mignonette.
I saved the Kusshi oyster for last and once again loved its sweet cucumber finish.
If you're craving a lobster roll, I definitely recommend trying the one at Neptune Oyster. Just be prepared to wait, and know that the restaurant is very tiny and you'll be cozying up to your neighbors. It adds to the ambience.
Where's your favorite place to get a lobster roll?
