When one thinks of the quintessential lobster roll, more than likely their mind drifts east to New England, particularly Maine and Massachusetts. It's a reaction as natural as associating gumbo with Louisiana or smoked brisket with Texas. But would you believe me if the winner of 'World's Best Lobster Roll' at the inaugural Down East Lobster Roll Festival in Portland, Maine last year was awarded to a shop in Utah?
It's a fact that surprised me initially, but after paying a visit to Freshies Lobster Co. in Park City, Utah, I became a believer.
Owners Ben and Lorin Smaha have roots in New England — Ben is from Maine and Lorin from New Hampshire — so they know a thing or two about a good lobster roll. So any doubters about the 'World's Best Lobster Roll' coming out of landlocked Utah can refer to the trophy sitting pretty inside their first brick and mortar location on Prospector Avenue.
Experiencing a world class lobster roll is a great hook for first-timers, but Freshies has an ace up their sleeve to keep them coming back for more: Lobster on everything. Yes, for an additional amount of $4 per ounce, you can throw sweet, succulent lobster on any of their menu items. So that means, the juicy crustacean can crown their New England Chowdah, their Caprese Salad, or even their Nono Dog.
The thought of getting lobster wasted seems all the more real once you start applying this to more unconventional candidates like their Blueberry BBQ Chicken Sandwich or Rustic Tomato Stew, creating a realization that is all at once eureka and euphoria for all lobster lovers. It's no wonder the lines at Freshies Lobster Co. rival the likes at Park City's ski lifts during peak season.
