Sixth Engine’s lobster roll on a housemade version of the classic New England-style bun. (Photo courtesy of Sixth Engine)
Dish of the week: Lobster rolls
Where to get it: Sixth Engine, Hank’s Oyster Bar, Luke’s Lobster, Red Hook Lobster Pound
It’s not hard finding a lobster roll outside of Maine these days—even Pret A Manger in D.C. began offering a roll earlier this year. But let’s namecheck a few of the standouts.
Sixth Engine (438 Massachusetts Avenue NW) is featuring a New England Getaway menu, starring a lobster roll that will stay around at least through September. The quality and quantity of lobster and the sublime housemade roll merit the $24 price tag.
Hank’s Oyster Bar’s (1624 Q Street NW and 633 Pennsylvania Avenue SE) lobster roll is a critic’s choice for good reason. Bright, creamy and dreamy, it’s a magical serving of nostalgia for those of us who associate lobster with childhood bliss.
The Red Hook Lobster Pound truck and Luke’s Lobster (624 E Street NW and 1211 Potomac Street NW) are reliable fast-casual sources with authentic street (err, sea) credentials.
If you’re ready to do a lobster roll crawl, there are plenty more places to check out: Silo (lunch only), Pop’s SeaBar (summer special on Wednesdays), Liberty Tree, and Oceanaire. And if you’re wondering what kind of dummy could forget the Maine Avenue Fish Market, it’s only because rolls are not among the various formats of lobster for sale there.
Lobster is both patriotic and fun to eat. Sept. 25 is National Lobster Day, so now’s the time to get crackin’.
Fun fact: the largest Maine lobster festival is nowhere near Maine. The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival in Southern California has earned Guinness Book certification as world’s largest four times. Founded in 1999, the SoCal festival sells as many as 36,000 lobsters. Here on the Eastern Seaboard, Maine harbors the largest festival, begun in 1947.
Small Bites
Fare Well Adds More Face Time
After two frenzied months in business and one emergency air conditioner replacement, Fare Well (406 H Street NE) is expanding its hours. Although the plant-based eatery (read: vegan) remains closed Mondays and Tuesdays, the kitchen is now open from 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday; on weekends, the kitchen closes between 3:30 and 5 p.m., but the bar and bakery are open; weekend dinner hours are 5 to 10:30 p.m. If you’re just looking for pastries, the bakery is open at 8 a.m. Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. Sunday.
Meet You at the “Chop Bar”
An appetizing performance is taking place Sunday at the Logan Fringe Arts Space (1358 Florida Avenue NE), starring Caribbean food, drinks, and music. The culinary event is a “chop bar,” a West African “makeshift small restaurant where people gather over food, music and positive vibes,” according to organizer Dine Diaspora. The $40 tickets include a drink and tastes of mumbo shrimp and grits, Trinidadian street corn, pulled jerk chicken sliders, and Trenchtown penne curry with roasted vegetables.
Fast-Casual Indian FTW
You already knew you can build a bowl of respectable Indian food at Merzi (415 7th Street NW), but now you can downsize to a smaller bowl. A light portion contains half the protein and rice, plus all the toppings and sauces. Protein choices now also include paneer for a second meatless option in addition to chickpeas. Get more for less during Merzi’s happy hour from 2 to 7 p.m., when mango lassis, samosas, naan, and soft drinks are two for $4. If you work for the government (local or federal), your ID is worth 20 percent off on Wednesdays through September.
Burma in a Bowl
Toli Moli (1309 5th Street NE), D.C.’s source of a Burmese dessert drink called falooda, is planting its flag at Union Market indefinitely. As it transitions from pop-up vendor to permanent, the company is adding two Burmese vegetarian noodle salads to its menu starting Tuesday: smoky eggplant and udon noodle, and tofu and thin noodle.
‘Foodie Trivia’ at Brick & Mortar
Gather your wits and compete in Foodie Trivia, taking place Mondays at 7 p.m. at Brick & Mortar (918 F Street NW). It’s free to play and the winning team scores bragging rights and a $50 bar tab.
