What I Ate: April 11, 2009 (Old Port Lobster Shack)

Tina and I split the left over pizza from last night.

At dinner, we drove up to Redwood City and ate at the Old Port Lobster Shack (851 Veterans Blvd, Redwood City, CA‎ - (650) 366-2400). Russell Deutsch, the owner of Old Port, was there, so I asked him what he thought was the best item on the menu. He suggested we try a lobster tail with barbecue. Having had a fair amount of barbecue during the last year, I wasn't really looking forward to trying the 'cue at a restaurant specializing in East Coast seafood… but I ordered the Shack Tail with Half Rack of Ribs. The lobster tail was cooked just right - soft and tender and no where close to becoming chewy and rubbery. The tail was "stuffed" so it had a flavorful topping that worked well with the lobster. The barbecue isn't quite ready for prime time. The smoke flavor isn't prominent enough for me - I prefer fruit wood or hickory or mesquite smoke while they used oak which, I think, provides a milder smoke flavor. The spice rub they used was also a little light for our taste - most of the ribs flavor relies on the BBQ sauce that you pour on at the table. I made a few suggestions to help bring the BBQ to the next level and, hopefully, they'll improve their barbecue in the future.

We also ordered a Maine Lobster Roll which we shared.

After all that, I was still craving more lobster so I ordered another Maine Lobster Roll. I have to say, these lobster rolls are awesome. The lobster salad is simple (just mayo, green onions, salt, and pepper) and the bread is buttery and toasted just the right amount.

The potatoes need a special mention as well. The fries taste more like potatoes than usual. I asked Russell about this suggesting that he wasn't using Russets and it turns out he uses Kennebec potatoes which has a stronger flavor. The roasted potatoes that came with my lobster tail and ribs were also very good with a very thin crispy exterior and silky sweet interior.