First the best wines started coming from Napa Valley rather than France. Now the best lobstah roll hails from -- wait for it -- Utah? not the Maine Coast??? Yes, Freshies Lobster Co. in Park City has won the World's Best Lobster Roll. Let your drawn butter sink into that!
Freshies is located right on Prospector Avenue within walking distance of many ski industry headquarters, and right across the street from SIA and Pret Helmets. I first visited this past winter when one of our community members brought me there. I was skeptical but thought, hey, just like sex, even a mediocre lobster roll is better than no lobster roll at all. I ordered the large roll, which has about 6 ounces of beautiful, tender lobster coated nicely but not drenched in mayonnaise, seasoned perfectly with Freshies' own concoction of flavors, and drizzled with butter. The perfectly toasted bun was warm and had just the right crisp to it; it had just enough butter to leave your fingers glistening and enough flavor left for the finishing touches. I also ordered a cup of New England clam chowder, which brought back even more memories of the East Coast. The only thing missing from the clam chowder was the availability of crushed red pepper; there was Tabasco, but for seafood, I prefer a crushed pepper, so I have deducted a tenth of a star.
In June we made another trip to Utah with some of our staff members, and we made sure to hit Freshies -- not only once, but twice. Again we left completely satisfied. Being the social media people that we are, we Facebooked our meals, only to have our New England friends question the decision to eat lobster rolls so far from the Atlantic. We stood our ground and defended Freshies and the quality product, but still our sanity was doubted with comments like, "Sorry, but the New Englander in me cannot accept lobster in Utah no matter how good it might taste,” and “Maine lobsters? Flown in daily? Better be …. The coastal Mainer inside me is kind of a lobster roll snob, my apologies.”
Well, the diehards have spoken at the Down East Lobster Roll Festival in Portland, ME, and they have validated our thoughts: you don’t have to be in Maine to have a wicked good lobstah roll. If you are reading this, I imagine you are a skier, so your next trip to Park City must include a stop to Freshies to see what all the talk is about. You will find not just a roll to get by, but a roll that will satisfy all of your desires for lobster.
In June we made another trip to Utah with some of our staff members, and we made sure to hit Freshies -- not only once, but twice. Again we left completely satisfied. Being the social media people that we are, we Facebooked our meals, only to have our New England friends question the decision to eat lobster rolls so far from the Atlantic. We stood our ground and defended Freshies and the quality product, but still our sanity was doubted with comments like, "Sorry, but the New Englander in me cannot accept lobster in Utah no matter how good it might taste,” and “Maine lobsters? Flown in daily? Better be …. The coastal Mainer inside me is kind of a lobster roll snob, my apologies.”
Well, the diehards have spoken at the Down East Lobster Roll Festival in Portland, ME, and they have validated our thoughts: you don’t have to be in Maine to have a wicked good lobstah roll. If you are reading this, I imagine you are a skier, so your next trip to Park City must include a stop to Freshies to see what all the talk is about. You will find not just a roll to get by, but a roll that will satisfy all of your desires for lobster.