There was a lot of lobster talk earlier this year. When City Paper analyzed the cost of local lobster rolls — which vary from $10 to $23 — the local roll aficionados came out of the woodwork to comment:
“No one down here does a Hot Connecticut/Rhode Island Style Lobster Roll — toasted split-top bun, hot lobster meat, side of melted butter. Now THAT’s truly a decadent, awesome treat.”
“I grew up in CT — I do not play around when it comes to a Lobster Roll!!”
“Anyone who complains about $18 in Chucktown needs to instead ingest a dose of reality (and this article).”
So it’s with mild trepidation that we report the following news. Charleston, you’re getting a lobster food truck. This spring Bath, Maine native Christopher York plans to roll out Mainely Lobstah. “It will hopefully be up and running by the beginning of April,” says York who previously worked as the general manager of Cha Cha’s.
York has a pal who owns a seafood business in Topsham, Maine, and that’s where he’ll source his decapods. “He can overnight fresh lobster,” York says. “I want to do a couple different rolls, Maine style with mayo and Connecticut style with melted butter and no mayo, also a few other things like fried lobster mac ‘n’ cheese bites possibly, and homemade woopie pies.”
Now — deep breathe — the price: York says his rolls will be somewhere around $13.95. (That means cheaper than The Ordinary’s $23 roll but more than Red’s $9.99 option.)
“If I had a sit-down establishment, I’m sure it would be closer to $18 or $20 for a roll,” he explains. “But I just don’t see a lot of people walking up to a food truck and dropping $20 on a sandwich.”
So, there you have it. Another addition to the growing lobster trend.
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