Red Hook Lobster Pound

The Red Hook Lobster Pound. Note the line.

As you already know, I love me a lobster roll. Nom nom nom. Not much better. A few weeks ago my cousin surprised us with a delivery of the savory Red Hook Lobster Pound lobster roll all the way from Red Hook. It was so tasty we opted to Zipcar out to it to have it fresh off the grill.

Why the car? Getting to the Pound isn’t easy. There’s no subway stop anywhere nearby – it’s in the middle of nowhere, as far as public transportation goes. The Pound has been getting a ton of press lately, rightly, because it serves an excellent product. Nonetheless, I was surprised by the line at the place, although admittedly we went on a beautiful Saturday.

Frank, who was one of the two owners of the place, was behind the counter, somewhat exasperated. He had sold 1,000 pounds of lobster the day before, a new record. Frank works hard: to get the lobster, he drives up to Maine, and competes (as he puts it) with “32 drunk fishermen” for the best lobsters. He likened it to being in a fight.

The Pound itself is quite small. It’s just a storefront, although there are some picnic tables next door. There are two large containers which store the lobsters. They sell a Maine-style roll (with mayo) or a Connecticut-style roll (no mayo, grilled). Guess what we got?

Mmmmm.... delicious.

If there’s a downside to the Red Hook Lobster Pound lobster roll, it’s that it’s gone in about 4 bites. It requires an act of physical restraint to slow yourself down while chomping into it. Guess it’s a good thing (if somewhat decadent) we got two each. They are served with a bag of Cape Cod chips and pickles.

Some details now: the lobster meat is very chunky, with discernable, recognizable parts largely intact in the roll. It’s served with some shallots(?) as a light garnish. We all noticed a slightly “fishy” quality to the flavor, but it wasn’t offensive. The roll is delightfully buttery. The sandwich is wonderful.

The Pound offers a few artisinal sodas to choose from, and a miraculous Whoopie Pie, which you should definitely get if you go there.

All in all, it is absolutely excellent. Highly recommended.

Red Hook Lobster Pound