Delray Beach: Frank Rea, general manager of Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Lobster Roll with two Maine lobsters. (Bill Ingram / The Post)
It’s hard to believe that until the middle of the 19th century, lobster was considered a poor man’s food. Perhaps before then, well-heeled diners couldn’t look past the sea creature’s insect-like appearance to appreciate its sweet meat. In other words, they judged a crustacean by its cover.
Knowing such culinary history makes me want to like the recently opened Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster Roll all the more. This new addition to Delray Beach’s downtown dining scene is about lobster as an everyday pleasure. No white tablecloths. No ceremonial attaching of the bib. This is very much a lobster shack in the New England tradition.
I just wish it was a better lobster shack.
There’s quite a back story to the restaurant — one that’s even made it to the pages of The New York Times food section. It turns out that Linda Bean of the L.L. Bean family — you know, those Maine folks who practically invented the preppy outdoor look — is quite the lobster fanatic. She’s also quite the entrepreneur. She sees a niche and need throughout the country for lobster restaurants of the casual Maine (or Downeaster) variety. Delray Beach seemed as good a spot as any to open one of the first because, apparently, it has a large population of part-time or former Maine residents, especially during the winter. The fact the place is about the size of my living room doesn’t make it any less attractive. It’s actually got a clean, freshly scrubbed look, replete with an open kitchen and a lobster tank that houses what soon may become your lunch or dinner. There’s no waiter service — just place your order at the counter and you’ll soon be cracking open those crustaceans.
Or not.
Part of the appeal of the lobster roll is that it provides a way to deliver that sweet meat without the messy business of having to dig for it. At Linda Bean’s, the roll itself is authentically spot-on — a toasted, hot dog-style bun. But I can’t get too enthused about the filling: There’s a nice portion of the meat, but it’s mostly (if not all) from the claw — not my favorite part of the lobster texture-wise. (Claw lovers, on the other hand, may feel differently.)
But what I really don’t get is the way the sandwich is constructed — there’s a big slathering of mayo on the bun and then the lobster atop that. Look, I like lobster and I like lobster salad — that is, lobster lightly mixed with mayo (and maybe a little cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon). But this is something else — more like a lobster-mayo trial separation than a true marriage. In short, it’s not really the lobster roll I’ve had and enjoyed in restaurants all the way from Florida to, yes, Maine. As for accompaniments, the roll ($15.50) comes with first-rate salt-and-vinegar chips, a few bread-and-butter pickles and a decent cole slaw — not a bad light meal, I suppose. But far from a great one.
Still, maybe you want the whole lobster experience — cracking and all. Linda Bean’s can offer that, too (lobsters are priced individually at $15 per pound and cooked upon ordering). But I can’t say the restaurant does a worthy job with that, either. On the first of my two visits, I simply got a bad lobster — neither particularly fresh (at least judging by the ammonia smell) or tasty. On the second, I got a decent one. But the restaurant’s quick-boil method robs the lobster of all its fight and flavor — you get a waterlogged creature that’s just not a joy to eat or behold. (And when you crack open the shell, all that water that gushes out makes the accompanying bread into a kind of instant bread pudding. Yuck.)
Fortunately, there’s life beyond lobster rolls and boiled lobsters at Linda Bean’s. On a cold day of the sort we’ve had for the past un-Florida-like month, the restaurant’s two soups — a creamy Maine clam chowder ($4.95 to $7.95) and a bisque-like lobster stew ($6.95 to $9.95) — proved to be satisfaction in a bowl, with just the right hint of brininess. They’re especially worth enjoying with the hoppy beers from Maine’s own Shipyard Brewery that are offered here on draft ($4.75). (There’s also a small selection of wines and bottled beers.)
Other food offerings include a so-so Maine shrimp roll ($7.95), a surprisingly good hot dog ($3.50 — it’s all-beef and in a natural casing) and an OK Caesar salad ($4.95 to $7.95). As for desserts, somehow I wasn’t surprised when I heard the cheesecake ($5.95) I ordered couldn’t be served because it was still frozen. On my previous visit, I had a blueberry pie ($4.95) — seemingly made with Maine blueberries — that had the soggy texture of a thawed item (too bad — it was quite yummy otherwise).
Service is somewhat irrelevant since this is indeed an order-at-the-counter place. But there’s a generally enthusiastic staff here. Not a Maine accent in the bunch, but perhaps that’s OK. I don’t think too many Downeasters would see Linda Bean’s as a true culinary representation of their home state. Or as a fit testament to a fine crustacean.
R E V I E W
Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster Roll
FOOD: C
SERVICE: B
ADDRESS: 200 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach
TELEPHONE: (561) 276-2502
WEB SITE: lindabeansperfectmaine.com
PRICE RANGE: Moderate
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday
CREDIT CARDS: Visa, MC, AmEx, Disc
RESERVATIONS: Not accepted
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms
WHAT THE GRADES MEAN:
A – Excellent
B – Good
C – Average
D – Poor
F – Don’t bother
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