Best Maine Lobster Roll by Down East Magazine

Author:Down East Magazine [Magazine, Down East]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781608939565
Publisher: Down East Books
Published: 2018-06-29T23:00:00+00:00

The Elements

The Bun: New England– style, split-top roll

The Meat: purchased from the Tenants Harbor Fisherman’s Co-op and processed in Saco

The Mix: a little mayo and a light sprinkling of secret seasoning

The Scene: easy-going seafood shack with seating indoors and outdoors on the wharf. A small bar serves Maine microbrews, wine, and Maine-distilled liquors

McLoons Lobster Shack

315 Island Rd., South Thomaston. 207-593-1382. mcloonslobster.com

No storage tanks for McLoons’ lobsters! The crustaceans are held in floating crates in the bay just off McLoons Wharf and plucked from the seawater just before they’re cooked. That’s why the meat in McLoons lobster rolls is so sweet, succulent, and tender.

Thanks to the rolls, the tidy red takeout shack on Spruce Head Island has developed a large loyal following since it opened in 2012. The setting, on a secluded cove with views of spruce-covered islands and stunning sunsets, doesn’t hurt, either. McLoons is at the end of a quiet road with not much on it besides homes and a lobster dealer, so people tend to either stumble on it while exploring the area or they get sent there by a friend who discovered it that way.

McLoons Wharf, one of the area’s oldest lobster-buying stations, is owned by the Douty family, who also owns Douty Brothers Seafood, a wholesale business in Portland, and Lusty Lobster, a retail store in New Jersey. Bree Douty manages the lobster shack with a nod to both tradition and contemporary tastes. Simple preparations allow fresh, local ingredients to shine. There’s no fryolator, for example, so instead of fried clams, there are littlenecks, roasted to smoky deliciousness. Everything is house-made, from the garlic herb butter served with those clams to the rich and chunky lobster stew to the pies, filled with seasonal berries and fruits. Fresh herbs — thyme, rosemary, parsley, and mint — grow in window boxes, and diners are invited to help themselves should they want to add a personal touch to their meal.

If you happen to order the lobster roll, our suggestion is leave the herbs for another day. The fresh meat itself is unadorned, and for good reason: it’s pretty much perfect.

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