In Case You Haven't Gotten Enough Lobster Roll News

Perhaps because August seems to have arrived two months early, everyone is busy pretending they live in Maine. Or at least that's one way to explain the fact that not a day seems to pass without some sort of lobster-roll-related news. And today is no exception.

First, Luke's Lobster HQ has written in to let us know that they're opening the doors to their new Financial District location this Friday. Expect many people with blue button-down shirts to find their way to 26 William Street; if you'd like a taste of what to expect in the meantime, the Luke's crew has posted a music video on its Tumblr site, à la the Dutch and Roberta's.

Luke's Lobster, of course, is frequently compared to the Red Hook Lobster Pound. The folks at Midtown Lunch have spent quite a bit of time appraising the offerings from the Pound's truck, and today they dub its $8.50 shrimp roll "the best deal" it offers. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, the roll's "sweet little Maine shrimp are AWESOME."

While both Luke's and the Pound have more than their fair share of acolytes, others still harbor wistful memories of Ben Sargent's Underground Lobster Pound. Sargent, known more commonly as Dr. Claw, will soon resurface on the Cooking Channel in his very own show, but the unfortunate fact remains that his lobster rolls are a thing of the past. Thankfully, however, The Brooklyn Paper has persuaded Sargent to share his roll-making tips with the general populace. Among them: Season the water with garlic, sea salt, peppercorns, and Old Bay; steam the poor lobster instead of boiling it; and go easy on the mayo.

Whatever you end up with will undoubtedly be better than what is served at Red Lobster. Or "the Slobster," as we will henceforth refer to it. That's thanks to the Red Lobster Blog, which describes itself as "the stories and experiences of Red Lobster employees" and is very funny.

Here, you'll find reflections on everything from Easter ("what you can bank on is assclowns in hats") to the chain's mandate to require servers to have their earnings garnished for "tip outs" for bussers and bartenders ("Why is Red Lobster kicking their front of the house employees in the balls (again)? Because it will save them $4-5 million on the bottom line"). And yes, "I'm pretty sure they serve Endless Shrimp in Hell."

[Red Lobster Blog via Gastropoda]

Have a tip or restaurant-related news? Send it to fork@villagevoice.com.

And follow us on Twitter: @ForkintheRoadVV.