Food Porn Nation

Lobster Kitchen is another lobster joint to bring the New England Lobster shack experience from Maine USA to the shores of old Blighty. The experience from beginning to end is exactly what you would expect in any lobster shack in Maine. There are no reservations, you order and pay at the register, find a seat at the communal dining space and collect your food when it is ready. Food is served in plastic cutlery, paper cups and disposable containers. While, the space is designed with nautical paraphernalia to mimic the coastal shores of New England.

We ordered the (£15) Split lobster tails rather than the whole split lobster (£18 – this includes a choice of one side). This wasn’t really worth our while considering the whole lobster was smaller than the lobster tails and were roughly the size of my palm.

The split lobster tails were steamed in a white wine and celery stock and we chose to top this with butter, garlic & parsley – The Garlicky One. This was more appealing than the description of the other optional sauces e.g. The Asian, Thermidor or The Cocktail. We asked to have this prepared just under cooked. The texture of the lobster was just perfect and I’m not sure if this would have been any different without our special request nonetheless, this lacked the flavour, seasoning and garlic I was hoping for.

For the lobster roll, we opted for The Garlicky One (£14). Again, this was sadly disappointing. There was plenty of lobster but as mentioned this butter, garlic and parsley concoction was rather flavourless. Whilst, the roll was like a sad store bought hot dog roll than the promised toasted brioche bun.

The lobster bisque (£5.5) was not as expected. It was not like your traditional lobster bisque you would expect to find in New England, a thick, creamy, chunky and flavourful seafood hot pot. This was in stark contrast, which was watery and flavourless.

I would also steer clear of the lobster mac and cheese (£5.5). This was overcooked, lacked flavour and was dotted with occasional pieces of lobster.

The Lobster Kitchen concept may work in the landscape of New England but it unfortunately comes across as overpriced take out in the likes of London. The small dining space also cheapens the experience with the logistical challenge presented from ordering at the register and finding a seat at the communal table. Also, it’s difficult not to make comparisons between the experience at Burger and Lobster that offer a similar price point and overall a better quality of product and service. I would have loved to have loved Lobster Kitchen but I do think that the quality of ingredients and price points need to be revisited for it to really succeed.

Summary Information:
Food rating: 2/5
Service rating: 2.5/5
Value: 1.5/5

Prices: Approx £15 to £25 for whole split lobster/lobster roll with sides, excludes drinks and service.

Website: http://www.lobsterkitchen.co.uk/

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