Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews by Marilyn Hagerty & The Grand Forks Herald

Author:Marilyn Hagerty & The Grand Forks Herald [Hagerty, Marilyn & Herald, The Grand Forks]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Writing, Literary Collections, Essays, Travel, Food; Lodging & Transportation, Restaurants, Cooking, Regional & Ethnic, American, Middle Western States
ISBN: 9780062228901
Google: VEpKla5umWwC
Amazon: B00BATKRD0
Goodreads: 17331371
Publisher: Anthony Bourdain/Ecco
Published: 2013-08-26T23:00:00+00:00

Red Lobster Reels ’Em In with Seafood, Biscuits

FEBRUARY 28, 1996

The parking lot at the Red Lobster was jammed at noon on Ash Wednesday. And employees look for brisk business on Fridays during Lent. It happens every year.

The restaurant is one of more than 700 Red Lobsters in the United States and Canada, and it has been in operation here for four years. It has a strong following of people who hanker for seafood, and others who say they just go there for the garlic cheese biscuits.

I always welcome a chance for lunch at the Lobster, and I often order the grilled chicken salad ($5.35). That was my choice when four of us met for lunch last Wednesday. Corinne Alphson ordered the same. Donna Gillig settled for New England Clam Chowder ($2.50 a cup and $3.75 a bowl). Irene Fossum chose a seafood Caesar salad with lobster, shrimp and scallops ($5.99).

We meet at the Lobster occasionally during February and March, when the rest of our bridge club is keeping warm in Arizona or Florida. We find it a comfortable place to have lunch, visit and play cards. Staff members at the Red Lobster are cordial and accommodating. They bring us more ice water. They watch over our shoulders as we play.

The chowder is good. And DG says it’s plenty. The seafood salad rates at least a B-plus, if not an A. Lunches at the Red Lobster are in the $5.99 to $6.99 range. That is, if you drink water. Coffee or tea is $1.20. Milk is $1.15.

You get the biscuits with the crisp, garlic and cheesy crust with your meal. And if one isn’t enough, you can have more. The grilled chicken salad is an ample serving, nicely spiced. It’s as much or more than you can eat. I often wonder what the dinner salad is like. If I ever get out at night, I will report on that.

Meanwhile, I have heard glowing testimony about dinners at the Red Lobster. The restaurant introduced a new menu last week, with many of the old favorites and new features. Meal prices range from $9.99 to $18.99. Of course, if you want live Maine lobster dinner, it’s more. The price fluctuates, and most recently has been $24.35 for a 1-pound serving. Dinners include the garlic bread, salad and your choice of a potato or vegetable.

I like the Red Lobster menu because it has a symbol for Lighthouse selections that are low-fat. However, I have a hard time finding things on the menu. Maybe it has too many pages. Maybe it’s the flaps. Maybe it’s the slippery covering. Maybe it’s me.

The place has a Cape Cod feel, with banks of big windows framed in rich, dark wood. Tables and captain’s chairs are also in wood. Walls are cream-colored and covered with items of interest, including blackboards listing the catch of the day. Restrooms are clean, convenient and roomy.

Red Lobster continues to operate in Grand Forks.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.