A Boat a Day in January -- Day 9

Wiscasset

A Boat a Day in January -- Day 8

Wiscasset

A Tale of Two Lobster Rolls

Red's Eats

I know I've said I don't understand why people are willing to stand in line for so long just for a lobster roll.  I've been resolved to avoid at all costs joining the sheep on the corner in Wiscasset.  But who's to stop Damon when he's hungry and we come across Red's on an October night, sans crowd?

Despite resolving to leave for Castine earlier Friday, we didn't get underway until well after five, and we were a mite peckish.  (Sadly, the dog didn't accompany us.)  As we cruised through a quiet Wiscasset, Damon suddenly pulled into a parking spot and cried "No line!"  As in, no line at Red's.  Not only was there no line, but it was the perfect fall Maine evening -- warm, with a full moon shining down over the Sheepscot River.  And on top of that, we had exactly $20 in our pockets -- enough for a lobster roll and a drink, with change to spare.  It was a sign.  Get a lobster roll.

We slipped across US 1 and got in line walked right up to the counter.  It was Red's final weekend for the season, and the the staff seemed cheery -- like they were feeling the way a marathoner feels when mile 26 has been reached, and only 0.2 miles are left.  Their finish line was in sight. 

They were still pumping out some food though.  A small crowd sat behind the shack at the picnic tables, and we sat ourselves down at a table and took a look at our line-free prize.  It was big, with over a lobster's worth of meat.  There seemed to be no dressing at all, and the bun was nicely toasted with butter.  The roll was lettuce-free -- nothing but bun and arthropod.  Damon eats very little meat or saturated fat, so he was happy to gobble his half down, and I ate mine joyfully as well.  There's nothing like the first stop on a trip you've been looking forward to. 

It was a great roll -- large, very fresh, with a lovely contrast between the cold lobster and the warm bun.  It set us back $17; a bit high, but worth it. 

Castine Variety

Even in season, there's not much in Castine.  As the season drew to a close, we watched most of the inns and restaurants in town close their doors for a long winter's rest.  Our dinner Saturday night was the last served at the Pentagoet Inn, and although it was good, they were offering a limited menu as they tried to use up their larder. 

I love Castine, but I can't quite picture living there in winter.  (This from someone who's lived in Woods Hole MA and Beaufort NC, where they pretty much roll up the streets in winter.)  There's not much going on.  Castine Variety though, opens it's doors year round, and offers a mean lobster roll for the hearty few who show up.  I love the fact that the owner is Hawaiian, and wonder what drew her from a tropical island to this remote corner of Penobscot Bay.  Castine Variety itself is amazing; located in an old pharmacy and located right on the main drag, you can look out the windows and watch the happenings at the MMA docks.

Their lobster roll was lovely.  A bit on the small side, not big enough to share; but not as pricey as some ($14).  There was lettuce -- often a turn off for me, but in this case it was a crisp, cool complement to the lobster, which was dressed with mayo.  It was the perfect size for lunch, although I know some will compare it to rolls that are extra large.  I really liked this roll; it was one of the dining highlights of Castine.

As winter rolls our way, and more and more lobster shacks close up shop, I'm thinking my rolls my get fewer and farther between.  That's okay, as snow falls and winds blow, I'll sit by the wood stove dreaming about the rolls I'll eat next year.

Not Red's Eats

Red's Eats and its line; Sprague's in the background.

Wiscasset has a few claims to fame.  First off, it calls itself the prettiest town in Maine.  That's debatable, especially if you're from Camden or Castine.  What's not debatable is Wiscasset's famous traffic.  Anyone knows if you're going to the Midcoast, and it's a summer day, you'd better be prepared to sit in an epic traffic jam from about the time you get to Big Al's until you hit the bridge over the Sheepscot River.  There's no obvious reason for this traffic jam, but a prime suspect is Red's Eats.  Now this is a subject of discussion by the good citizens of the Wiscasset; the people sitting in the traffic jam (especially them), and the state government.  Either way, I've never quite figured Red's out.  Could it possibly be so good it's worth waiting in a line that stretches to the end of your vacation, all the while sucking in the exhaust from Route 1 traffic?  And isn't there a perfectly good lobster shack within lobster-cracker throwing distance?  Is there something wrong with Sprague's?

When it comes to food, there's nothing I like more than investigative reporting -- by me.  On my way home from my trip to Bar Harbor, I decided to stop in Wiscasset and check out Sprague's.  I must have been due some good karma because I got a parking spot right away, and off I went, past the line snaking around the corner of Water and Main at Red's Eats, across Route 1, and down to the waterfront.  There was a line at Sprague's but not an unreasonable one; just a line long enough for me to catch some of the late September sun and debate on whether I wanted fries with the lobster roll or not.  Once I ordered (sans fries) I wandered around the picnic-table strewn deck to check things out.  Sprague's is set back from Route 1 (ie, reduced traffic noise and smell) but is right on the train tracks.  The Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway Museum is right there -- a small restored rail car with photos, timetables, and artifacts from days gone by. 

"Eighty-five, eighty-five please."  That was me.  I picked up the lobster roll and a diet Coke (much needed; the sun was beating down and Sprague's was pumping out heat from the fryers) and found an umbrella to sit under.  The lobster roll looked as good as any I can remember having (surely as good as one from Red's) and was positively stuffed -- clearly at least a whole lobster was in there.  It was very lightly dressed in mayo -- just the way I like it -- and the roll was buttered and grilled to a lovely golden brown. 

I can't compare this roll to Red's, since I'd never have the patience to join the crowd waiting for a roll there, but I can't imagine my lobster roll at Sprague's was sub-par to any other roll in Maine.  The filling was cool and delicious; the bun hot and buttery.  And thank god I didn't get those fries -- that roll filled me right up. 

Sprague's was great.  A big porch right on the river, plenty of spots to sit down and eat, a great view, and great lobster shack food.  A parking lot.  The crowd seemed satisfied, especially since they spent their time eating and not standing in line (I did catch a bit of smugness in the air).  There was even a dog wandering around the porch; calmly looking for a handout (wouldn't Dory have liked that?)