Montauk: The Lobster Roll Debate (Duryea's vs. Lobster Roll)

Image by Henry C via Flickr

Montauk: The Lobster Roll Debate - Who's is Yummier, Duryea's or Lobster Roll?

We have been living in NYC now for a year and a half, and have had the privilege of exploring the quaint and charming Montauk, NY. Montauk is much less glitzy than East Hampton, but the Lobster Rolls alone make it well worth the few extra miles!

Let's get to the brass tax of this issue! Who serves up the tastier Lobster Roll in Montauk - the lesser known "Duryea's" or the more touristy & well known "Lobster Roll Restaurant" (marked with a sign that simply says "Lunch" on Montauk Hwy). (websites for both below)

The Analysis:

Pros of Duryea's Lobster Roll:

*Duryea's is on the water, and you eat on a cool, old, shaggy looking dock right over the water, it is a quintessential experience!
*You can see the fresh buckets of seafood that the fisherman just brought in, it does not get more authentic and fresh than this.
*The Bread is a nice sesame sandwich roll that seems to have a little butter on the inside and was thrown onto a griddle. It has that perfect slightly crunchy texture but doesn't fall apart like a crusty loaf might.
*The Lobster Salad. The salad itself isn't overly worked with other ingredients, so you can actually see the lobster chunks, and even get multiple pieces of full claw (meat).
*The Fans - last summer we saw Ina Gartner from "Barefoot Contessa" eating a Lobster roll at the table next to us - that is a huge endorsement from a world famous foodie!

Duryea's Cons
* When we went in 2008 they didn't have a liquor license so even though we brought an ice cold Sauvignon Blanc with us, we weren't allowed to cork it there (but, don't kid yourself, we found a way to be sneaky and drink our vino with our lobster rolls!!!)
**However, rumor has it that they now have their liquor license, so if that is the case, problem solved!!

Lobster Roll Pros:
*It's pretty unique to drive by a nothing looking place on the side of the road that just has a large overhead billboard that says "Lunch." We love the idea of getting an unique, hometown meal at what appears on the outside to be a "dive."
*There are no shortage of options on the menu, and it seems like a place more friendly to the person who isn't quite a "foodie" or who is toting kids or grandparents along.
*This no frills joint serves it's Lobster Salad on a hotdog bun, and offers mini buns for those wanting a lighter snack!
*The portion of lobster salad that comes on the bun is plentiful, we shared a cheesy crab dip, and one lobster roll and we felt satiated.

Lobster Roll Cons:
*The actual Lobster salad (on the bun) is much more blended together than Duryea's, so you don't see actual chunks of lobster, it's more like you would think of a crab salad that is more stringy and mixed together. I missed seeing the chunks, claws and all.
*Touristy - it feels less like a "find" because everyone seems to know about it, so it's a less "boutique" experience. (they sell t-shirts and all that jazz)
*it's not on the water or on a dock like Duryea's, instead it's on the side of the highway - again, less "boutique."
*The hotdog bun. We tend to have the philosophy that you should never skimp on the bread - a white hotdog bun is just very bland to me. Why pass up the opportunity to wow the customer with both quality salad and tasty bread. I think this is just an opportunity missed. (We think that you can tell a lot about the quality of any restaurant by the yumminess of their bread).

In this head to head battle, we simply think that while the Lobster Roll's Lobster Roll is very good, the over all experience AND quality of the food (for only a buck or two more) is just over the top amazing at Duryea's.

Duryea's is the big winner, you will be truly pleased if you take the time to find this off the beaten path spot in Montauk for a Lobster Roll!!! You are welcome in advance :)

Cheers to all the foodies out there, we'd love for you to weigh in!

The Wilsons
*A special thanks to our lovely friends, Sarah & Bobby for introducing us to Montauk and letting us stay in their historic & exquisite family home there. Also, full credit to them - two of our foodiest of friends - for introducing us to Duryea's!
http://www.duryealobsters.com/
http://www.lobsterroll.com/

Antipasto Salad, Fabulous for Summer, Healthy & Easy!

Image by Andrionni Ribo (in the Philippines 7/14 - 7/28) via Flickr

Antipasto Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette!

Ingredients You'll Need:

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Antipasto Salad:
1 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips
3/4 cup roasted turkey, cut into strips
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips (can use lowfat cheese)
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
3-4 tablespoons of roughly chopped artichoke hearts
4 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips (save time, buy jarred peppers!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Vinaigrette: In a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and
pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running,
drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta
and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally,
about 10-11 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad
ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss! (I did not use all of the dressing, I reserved some on the side & kept in the fridge to add as needed for leftovers or other snacks!)

TIP 1 Wine Pairing: Try a nice Pinot Noir with this - it goes well with the heat and smokiness of the salami & cheese!

TIP 2: Store your basil in damp papertowels in the fridge, it will last a little longer and smells fannntastic!

**The recipe above is slightly different take on Giada de Laurentis Antipasto Salad. We love Giada in this house and have ALL of her cookbooks!!

We'd love to hear what you think of this recipe, and hear about your yummy foodie experiences!

Good Food & Good Wine = a Very Good Time!
The Wilsons!