A Hamptons Icon: Lunch At The Lobster Roll
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Seafood shack the Lobster Roll has a sizable menu—but just one specialty.
"If this place [were] called 'The Hamburger' or something, then we'd be worried about hamburgers," manager Paul DeAngelis said.
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When the building was first purchased by the Terry family, it bore a large sign reading, "LUNCH." When the Lobster Roll opened in 1965, the sign stayed—although the place also offers dinner.
"A lot of people don't know the name of the restaurant is actually the Lobster Roll. They just call us 'Lunch,'" DeAngelis said.
At the Lobster Roll, the specialty sandwich is served hot or cold. Ordered hot, it arrives deconstructed with a side of drawn butter.
The cold version combines the meat from cold-water lobsters with celery and mayonnaise.
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"Throughout the years, the lobster roll has morphed because of chefs that want to give their special touch to it, which is fine, but with us, it's about three basic ingredients: lobster, celery, and mayonnaise. And we don't believe that it needs to be altered," owner Andrea Anthony said.
In such casual, family-friendly environs, the market prices on lobster dishes might come as a surprise—a lobster roll can cost between $24 and $30.
"The cost-conscious customer might say, 'Wow. It's so expensive.' Yes, it is. It's the Hamptons. It's lobster," DeAngelis said.
"We hope that they recognize the value," Anthony said.
For those looking to save a little money, half-orders are available, and sharing is encouraged.
Closed six months of the year, the Lobster Roll manages to keep employees returning summer after summer. The restaurant takes pride in kindling a family spirit among patrons and staff.
"We have people that met here marry, and we now employ their children," DeAngelis said.
Anthony says that the seafood menu, plus the backyard patio with red umbrellas and flower-laced trellises, gives the place a sunny energy.
"We have the vibe of summer."
The Lobster Roll (aka "Lunch")
1980 Montauk Highway
Amagansett, NY 11930
(631) 267-3740
http://lobsterroll.com/
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