Lobster Rolls On
AUGUST 13, 2010
The classic New England summer roadside sandwich of succulent lobster meat mixed with mayo on a buttery golden roll has become the latest champ in the city’s food-fixation ring.
The rise of the roll is due, in part, to reasonable pricing, enabled by more direct access to sources in Maine (via NY Magazine). Locally, Luke’s Lobster unleashed the Manhattan-side tidal wave, and the Red Hook Lobster Pound has blown up big-time on the Brooklyn end. But the unofficial mayor of lobster roll-mania may be Ben Sargent, AKA Dr. Claw (via Brooklyn Paper). The lobster-obsessed chef and Boston native recently began moving kilos of the highly addictive meaty, buttery rolls from his Greenpoint basement apartment.
Claw’s finest comes wrapped in plain brown paper, and his hooded jacket, sunglasses and massive gold chains may have neighbors looking nervous, but his customers seem to be hooked. The clever marketing tactic–Dr. Claw has also pulled a few bad-boy publicity stunts like “crashing” a private lobster roll cook-off–is shored up by a tasty, reasonably-priced product whose main ingredient arrives fresh from Maine daily. Though his home-based re-up spot was shut down by the Man, Dr. Claw continues to supply his faithful with their fix (he screens customers via his mysterious Brooklyn Urban Anglers Association Facebook Page) and a furtive handoff a few yards away from his home kitchen.
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