"New England Style" Rolls for Lobster Rolls

[zoramargolis]

Growing up on Cape Cod has left me a penchant for this sublime snack. I say snack, because I usually finish eating a normal roll in 4 or 5 bites as my wife stares agog calculating the ludicrous price-per-bite figure of the endeavour  .

There are two schools of thought regarding the lobster roll:

1) The "unspoilt" school. I would say as you travel up the coast of New England, this preperation kicks into full gear at Red's Eats (a shack in Wiscasset that's become a media darling). Here, a generous portion of lobster is served on the traditional "New England Style" hot-dog roll (the sides of the roll are not crust - for easy grilling*) with a side of butter. There is no dressing for the lobster, this is a purist's dream.

2) The "salad" school. Essentially, most establishments prepare lobster rolls in this fashion. A mayo-based dressing is applied to the lobster and it is often mixed with various fillers (celery etc). I've never seen a roll south of New England that doesn't fall into this category.

My preference falls somewhere between the two. Filler is sin, but a roll can be dressed in a manner that compliments - not overwhelms - the taste of the lobster.

...

* Can anybody tell me where I can purchase these buns around here???

Pepperidge Farms makes a version, called "top sliced" and they can be found in supermarkets which carry the Pepperidge Farm line of products.

Trader Joe's sells a whole wheat version as its hot dog buns.

[PandaHugga]

Wegman's also sells the buns, opposite the deli counter. And I once took the plunge and bought their lobster salad and found it made a perfectly acceptable lobster roll.