Lobster Ideas?

Hey folks....

I've been promised lobster as a birthday dinner gift -- and I really want the old school idea of that -- a nice boiled/steamed lobster with a dish of butter and lots of lemon. But...aside from big steakhouses and Joe's and Shaw's, I can't come up with alternative lobster options. Any ideas out there?

I think i'm going to bypass the many asian lobster options -- so while I certainly have the love for LTH or LaoSZ, i'm really thinking basic lobster here.

Any help or ideas you can throw out would be appreciated. My brain is drained.

Shan

Just last night on LTHForum:

The room is a throwback to dining in the 1950s, a darkened room with corners and alcoves, a place for liaisons. As the name suggests, the Cape Cod has a nautical theme and its known for its wood paneling and red checked tablecloths. Oh, for those days before we were omnivores! A day in which lobster was not to be enveloped in prickly pear puree, but in its shell. Those were the days in which the waiter and the maitre d' were more important than the chef or the architect. And the cute hat check girl was the most important of all. The Drake's waiters are cheerily old school - hale, hearty, and as preserved as the room.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 844#118844

The steakhouses and the best seafood places (like Shaw's, Fulton's on the River, and Hugo's) are all good bets for traditional lobster.

For a lobster lover, the only thing better than lobster is all-you-can-eat lobster. Pappadeaux no longer has their all-you-can-eat lobster deal, but Port Edward still does, on Tuesdays. Anyone know of any others in the area?

nsxtasy wrote: Pappadeaux no longer has their all-you-can-eat lobster deal, but Port Edward still does, on Tuesdays.

Do you know what they charge for the all-you-can-eat lobster and crab specials? I think they used to have the prices posted on their website, but no longer (as I recall it wasn't a bad deal). The fact that they now charge $101.95 for a 12oz filet and a 16oz Australian lobster tail, makes me wonder whether it is still a good deal. As an aside, I think it is a little insulting to end the price in .95, as if somebody who is willing to pay $100+ for surf n' turf is going to be fooled into thinking that $101.95 is cheaper than $102.

As much as I disliked the (now not so recent) changes at Davis Street Fishmarket, they still have whole Maine lobster for $23/lb (average size is about 1 1/2lbs).

Does Sabatino's still have their Tuesday night lobster special?

d4v3 wrote:Do you know what they charge for the all-you-can-eat lobster and crab specials?

I don't know, sorry. I was there a couple of weeks ago for the Friday seafood buffet (no lobster, but all-you-can-eat) and I don't remember exactly how much it was, but I think it was around $30-35, IIRC.

Sabatino's is a good deal, but it's a frozen lobster tail, not a whole live lobster, that you're getting. I heartily second the recommndaton for Port Edward. For my money, it's the best whole live lobster in the area, although it's a bit of a schlep out to Algonquin.

The best lobster dinner you can get, IMHO, is at the Palm Restaurant. It's a little pricey, but outstanding. The restaurant is in the Swissotel at 323 E. Wacker Dr and is highly rated.

I was told the all-you-can-eat lobster at Pappadeaux on Thursday night is back. It's not listed on their website, does anyone know if the Arlington Heights location offer this deal?

Sundaze wrote:The best lobster dinner you can get, IMHO, is at the Palm Restaurant. It's a little pricey, but outstanding. The restaurant is in the Swissotel at 323 E. Wacker Dr and is highly rated.

I was hoping someone would mention The Palm, because whether in NY, LA or here, the equation in my head for the last thirty years says Really Good, Big Lobsters = The Palm. But it's been two or three years since I've had one at the Palm here, and so if someone said they knew The Palm's lobsters well and there was a better one to be had elsewhere in Chicago, I'd listen. But I'd only listen if that person had been to The Palm. So if anyone can vouch that any Chicago restaurant's lobster is better than The Palm's, I'm all claws.

I've actually heard exactly the same thing about the Palm. I'm trying to find a good compromise for the gentleman who is actually buying the lobster -- he hates corporate steakhouses -- and I think we'll probably end up at Shaw's. But I thought I'd throw this out to all of you -- and see what you'd come up with. LTH is always a font of knowledge -- my secret weapon!

The whole Cape Cod thread made me intrigued -- that might be a possibility -- I had lunch there once years ago and I thought it was rather quaint then -- but dinner is a whole different bird.

Thanks for your ideas -- if we were doing this on Tuesday -- I'd definitely think about Sabatino's just because I haven't yet been and it sounds sort of old world romantic. But...i do want the full monty on this boy.

I haven't had lobster in probably 2 years.

Shan

Sundaze wrote:The best lobster dinner you can get, IMHO, is at the Palm Restaurant. It's a little pricey, but outstanding.

Sundaze,

The Plam is one of my favorites for lobster, as you said, a little pricey but outstanding. Being a nothing says excess like excess kind of guy I love the prep, light steam, split in half, pour heavy cream over the lobster meat in the shell, broil. Bubbly, light char, meaty, rich and, if you are lucky, and request a female, roe and tomalley to boot. Steamed lobster is available as well.

Nice steakhouse atmosphere, good service, tasty sides, love the half and half cottage fries/onion rings, I'd go every couple of weeks if it wasn't a bit, ok more than a bit, expensive.

Enjoy,
Gary

smurf wrote:I was told the all-you-can-eat lobster at Pappadeaux on Thursday night is back. It's not listed on their website, does anyone know if the Arlington Heights location offer this deal?

There's one easy way to find out - by calling the restaurant in Arlington Heights. So that's what I just did. I asked them if they have resumed the all-you-can-eat lobsters on Thursday nights, and they said yes, for $30.

However, I see that Metromix is listing them as having a deal on Thursday, but the details shown there are that they offer lobster for $14.95 per pound with a two-pound minimum. That's still a good price, but it's not exactly the same thing as all-you-can-eat. I'm a bit concerned that they may have confirmed over the phone to me that they offer a lobster deal, but may not have realized that I was specifically asking about the same all-you-can-eat deal they used to have, rather than a per-pound pricing.

Regardless, when they ran the AYCE deal in the past, theirs was very, very good. So if you're a lobster fan, that's a good place to go on Thursdays, either way.

Pappadeaux
798 W. Algonquin Rd.
Arlington Heights, Il 60005
(847) 228-9551
MAP

Thanks, smurf!

I understand that you are looking for a restaurant lobster, but I really enjoy being able to demolish the lobster (and often my clothes and the table) in the comfort of my own home. Since eating a 6 pound lobster in Cape Cod about 25 years ago, I have loved eating the big ones. Recently, I have used lobsters-online.com with great success. The only problem was needing an electric drill to open the enormous claws! Their six pounder is $78.95. The other nice thing about making lobster at home is that you then have the shells for a bisque.

I completely agree with the Palm. It's the best. But, it appears that your requirements are not a steak house. I have had the lobster at Nick's Fish Market, which was big and tasty. I haven't eaten in the dining room lately, more of an after work cocktail and snack place for hubby and me.

Fellow LTH'ers, let me tell you that your suggestions have not fallen upon deaf ears. After pleading my case to my gentleman friend, and taking into account my sheer hunger for lobster excellence, we're all set up with reservations at the Palm for Wednesday night.

I'm really looking forward to this....

Thanks for your help -- I probably wouldn't have thought of the Palm if not for your excellent voices!

Shannon

I shall, of course, report back.

Hooray! Great choice. Make your reservations early, and if they can't give you the time you want just push them a little, they're flexible and very accommodating. Ask for a table with a view of the pier. You don't have to order a whole lobster. I usually just get a very large lobster tail, along with the half and half cottage fries/onion rings that someone above mentioned above. Have a great time and . . . Happy Birthday!

Josephine wrote:I understand that you are looking for a restaurant lobster, but I really enjoy being able to demolish the lobster (and often my clothes and the table) in the comfort of my own home. Since eating a 6 pound lobster in Cape Cod about 25 years ago, I have loved eating the big ones. Recently, I have used lobsters-online.com with great success. The only problem was needing an electric drill to open the enormous claws! Their six pounder is $78.95. The other nice thing about making lobster at home is that you then have the shells for a bisque.

I absolutely agree about eating them at home (though I'm not particularly a fan of the bigger ones)!

I'm missing my Grandmother's 94th birthday this weekend Her father was a Long Island lobsterman, and we usually celebrate at home with lobsters brought fresh from the Jersey Shore (about 20 minutes from where my family lives), served with browned butter, pilot crackers and home made coleslaw. The next day...some nice lobster salad made with the leftovers. Although I'm missing her birthday, I'll be there in a couple weeks. Not sure if I'll be able to persuade them to cook an encore lobster meal!

Sabatino's lobster night is now Wednesday.

smurf wrote:I was told the all-you-can-eat lobster at Pappadeaux on Thursday night is back. It's not listed on their website, does anyone know if the Arlington Heights location offer this deal?

The AYCE Lobster was advertised in today's Trib, $29.95 after 5PM on Thursdays.

Hey everyone -- wanted to report back.

Went to the Palm last night -- I have to say I don't particularly care for the design/atmosphere of the Palm -- and it was mighty loud what with the tin ceiling, the wood floors and the lack of any sort of softness, but I wasn't there for the atmosphere.

Since I was spending my calories on butter soaked lobster, I stuck to minimums for the rest of the meal -- I had a nice green salad -- a good mix of lettuces -- a good bite of spicy arugula and a light viniagrette, loaded up with big hunks of tasty blue cheese. They did not go light on the blue cheese and I appreciated it! My partner in crime had a baked potato soup which he said was very tasty but looked kind of long in the pot to my view.

I ordered the three pounder. I have never had a lobster that big but it ended up being just perfect for me. So delicious and sweet, too -- it was really an excellent bug of the sea. The claws just sort of amazed me and yet -- it wasn't too much lobster (is there such a thing?).

Our sides were the hash browns with onions and string beans with garlic and oil -- the string beans were still a little crunchy and looked almost as if they had been stir fried a bit -- very very tasty little veggies. The hashbrowns -- well -- they were serviceable. Not the best version of these I've ever had (i'm partial to Joe's, actually) but I was really focusing on my lobster so for one of the few times in my starch obsessed life, I sort of ignored the potatoes.

I had had two cocktails (a lovely champagne/vodka concoction) so I passed on dessert and truthfully, the desserts were very standard fare and humongous portions (the chocolate cake was like a gigantic wedge of darkness -- it scared me just a little and there was nothing really exciting about any of them -- plus the bowl of out of season berries just looked kinda sad).

Service was fine if a bit ditsy -- we didn't demand much of them. Our plates were whisked away at pretty much the correct time and we didn't have to wait too long for a good procession of dishes. The breadbasket was perfectly acceptable although nothing made me moan. My partner in crime did have some comments about his cloudy Sam Adams Belgian White beer -- he looked at it quizzically and proclaimed to me that "Beer should be CLEAR" but did say it tasted fine. Thought it was sort of super fizzy -- but did end up having 2 pints of it.

I would say over all that this was a success from my stand point -- I got my monster lobster and was extremely satisfied at the end of the night. I probably wouldn't go to the Palm much ever again though -- not unless I had the same uncontrollable urge for lobster.

Thanks again to all of you for your suggestions. I can always count on LTH to steer me towards the right path!

Shannon

earthlydesire wrote:Hey everyone -- wanted to report back.

Went to the Palm last night -- I have to say I don't particularly care for the design/atmosphere of the Palm -- and it was mighty loud what with the tin ceiling, the wood floors and the lack of any sort of softness, but I wasn't there for the atmosphere.

Since I was spending my calories on butter soaked lobster, I stuck to minimums for the rest of the meal -- I had a nice green salad -- a good mix of lettuces -- a good bite of spicy arugula and a light viniagrette, loaded up with big hunks of tasty blue cheese. They did not go light on the blue cheese and I appreciated it! My partner in crime had a baked potato soup which he said was very tasty but looked kind of long in the pot to my view.

I ordered the three pounder. I have never had a lobster that big but it ended up being just perfect for me. So delicious and sweet, too -- it was really an excellent bug of the sea. The claws just sort of amazed me and yet -- it wasn't too much lobster (is there such a thing?).

Our sides were the hash browns with onions and string beans with garlic and oil -- the string beans were still a little crunchy and looked almost as if they had been stir fried a bit -- very very tasty little veggies. The hashbrowns -- well -- they were serviceable. Not the best version of these I've ever had (i'm partial to Joe's, actually) but I was really focusing on my lobster so for one of the few times in my starch obsessed life, I sort of ignored the potatoes.

I had had two cocktails (a lovely champagne/vodka concoction) so I passed on dessert and truthfully, the desserts were very standard fare and humongous portions (the chocolate cake was like a gigantic wedge of darkness -- it scared me just a little and there was nothing really exciting about any of them -- plus the bowl of out of season berries just looked kinda sad).

Service was fine if a bit ditsy -- we didn't demand much of them. Our plates were whisked away at pretty much the correct time and we didn't have to wait too long for a good procession of dishes. The breadbasket was perfectly acceptable although nothing made me moan. My partner in crime did have some comments about his cloudy Sam Adams Belgian White beer -- he looked at it quizzically and proclaimed to me that "Beer should be CLEAR" but did say it tasted fine. Thought it was sort of super fizzy -- but did end up having 2 pints of it.

I would say over all that this was a success from my stand point -- I got my monster lobster and was extremely satisfied at the end of the night. I probably wouldn't go to the Palm much ever again though -- not unless I had the same uncontrollable urge for lobster.

Thanks again to all of you for your suggestions. I can always count on LTH to steer me towards the right path!

Shannon

Sounds like you had a good time and a good meal! Might want to advise your friend to stay away from white, wheat, or wit beers if he's afraid of a little murkiness