Great American Bites: Perfect lobster at Maine's Two Lights
— -- The scene: Maine lobsters have passionate fans, and there are some who believe that one seaside shack or another serves better lobster than every other place in the State. I am not one of those people.
There are lobster shacks that do a bad job, a good job, and a great job, but within the latter group, there is a finite level to how well you can make whole steamed or boiled lobsters. In this cadre of top quality places, they all get the same exact lobsters from the same exact waters, they are all ultra-fresh, and unlike, say steaks, storage and preparation are not variables because fresh lobsters are hardly stored and cooking lobsters is simplicity itself.
So among the great lobster joints of Maine - and there are dozens that could qualify - the choice comes down to other things, like side dishes, desserts, lobster rolls, other seafood, price, ambiance, and in many cases, the view. For all these reasons, especially the last two, my personal favorite is The Lobster Shack at Two Lights on Cape Elizabeth, which just opened for the season last week and will remain open until October 21.
Just 15 minutes outside downtown Portland, it is easy to get to, charming, has consistently friendly service, and enjoys a dramatic setting without equal. Basically, this landmark - it's been here for nearly a century - sits as close to the crashing surf as you can imagine, perched on the rocky seashore, with plenty of outdoor dining and views of the Two Lights lighthouse, which replaced an older version made famous in the 1920s paintings of Edward Hopper. It looks like a snack bar or ice cream stand, but is deceptively large. You order inside, and while you can eat inside, this only makes sense in foul weather - otherwise you carry your plastic tray to one of the many picnic tables overlooking the rocky coast, and eat among the smell of salt, the lighthouse and Atlantic views, and the circling seabirds. It is a fantastic setting.
Reason to visit: Whole Maine lobster, lobster roll, fried seafood, desserts
The food: The lobster at Two Lights is perfect, which is to say, it does not get any better than this. Local lobstermen deliver the catch daily, the live lobsters are in saltwater tanks behind the counter, and you see them grabbed, put in fishnet bags, and cooked to order. They are served simply as is tradition, in a cardboard "boat" accompanied by biscuits in a wax paper bag, fries, cole slaw and melted butter, all on a plastic tray, along with a bib and plastic utensils. A metal lobster cracker and the tray itself will be the only things left when you are done. The fries are of the crinkle cut variety, the cole slaw is better than average, and the lobster is superb. As I said, lots of places in these parts serve a mean lobster, but almost no place serves it in such a beautiful setting.
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