Alive and Kicking Lobsters

As I wrote before, there was much seafood consumed in Boston. Mission Accomplished. I'm not going to write about every detail, but one of the best experiences was lunch at Alive & Kicking Lobsters in Cambridge. We hadn't actually sought the place out as much as decided on it because it was the closest place that the internet said we could go to get a sandwich. The fact that this place has been rated as one of the top places to get a lobster roll in Boston was a welcomed coincidence.

And by lobster roll I mean lobster sandwich, because that's how they do it at A&K. And they do it well, which they should seeing as its the only thing on the menu. This is not a sandwich shop, or restaurant, just a place where people come to buy lobsters and other fresh seafood. At first glance not where you would expect to head for a good meal, but somehow this is how it has evolved. My guess is that years back, someone told the owner Louie that his homemade lobster sandwiches kicked some serious ass, and that he could make some money by selling them. So Louie, ever the entrepreneurial lobster fisherman, started whipping them up right there in the shop and selling them to hungry passersby. Whether this is the truth or not I have no idea, but to visit the actual building the story I created seems entirely plausible.

The key to the lobster sandwich at A&K is all in the ratio. Heavy on the lobster, easy on the mayo. Its a light and fresh take on serving that can at times become bogged down with other gooey, soggy ingredients that do nothing more than dilute the flavor of the lobster and ruin the texture of the bread. As I said, lobster is beautiful in its simplicity. After whipping up the lobster salad they put it between two pieces of toasted scali bread and you have your sandwich. It's served with a bag of Cape Cod potato chips and you can pick up a bottle of their own brand of soda to wash it all down. Of course at almost $15 this is by no means a cheap lunch, but for what you get its worth the money.

I loved the fact that the guys working behind the counter looked like people who made their lives catching seafood, and that the sandwiches just seemed like a good way to make some extra beer money. In a way I'm sure the surroundings probably influenced my opinion of the food a bit, but at the end of the day it was still a damn good sandwich.

The one downside? They didn't shuck oysters there (couldn't tell if this was by law or by choice) so we couldn't get a half dozen to compliment the meal, but if that's your biggest problem in life then you're doing alright.


(ed note: I just lifted the pictures from the internet since I still can't get to mine. But you can pretend I took them if it helps you respect me more)