Pappadeaux: Marvelous. All-you-can-eat lobster.

Great time at Pappadeaux on a Thursday!

Well, I turned 39 again last week and needed a place to celebrate. Birthdays in the past have often meant lavish entertaining, exotic travel or elegant dining on the order of the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room or Tru (not Charlie Trotter's because he always closes in early July). But this year the exchequer wasn't up for that sort of thing and neither was I, so I went looking for somewhere fun.

As it happened my birthday was on a Thursday. On Thursdays, Pappadeaux's has all-you-can-eat lobster night.

We arrived at about 8:45 p.m. and were told to expect a 20-minute wait (they don't take reservations), but in fact, we barely had time to order martinis in the bar. Very good, very cold Bombay Sapphire martinis, made just as ordered -- 3-to-1 -- and served in chilled stemmed glasses.

The meal started with a pair of boiled 1-pound Maine lobsters, accompanied by melted butter, lemon, boiled red potatoes, an inch-long piece of corn on the cob and some zesty dirty rice. They keep bringing you lobsters as long as you want them. I managed four -- but that's with pulling every scrap of meat from the shells, sucking out the legs and even eating some of the tomalley. And a plus with small lobsters like these -- they're mostly female, so there was a good amount of roe, too. The waiter told me, however, that some people just eat the tails, and throw the rest away. The service was cheerful, attentive and accommodating throughout (although when I asked if they had sorbet for dessert, the young waiter didn't know what it was. I said, "Sherbet?" and after a minute his face cleared and he said, "Oh! Sher-bert!" and no, they didn't have any, just ice cream).

I hadn't been to Pappadeaux in five years, and I was agreeably surprised to find that they'd added many more simple, grilled fish items and salads to the menu since my last visit. In the past, the menu was heavy with over-sauced and/or stuffed seafood. Himself, not in the mood for disassembling crustaceans, ordered bluepoint oysters on the half shell and grilled swordfish and enjoyed them both very much.

For dessert, I had excellent, vanilla-rich creme brulee, topped with fresh fruit. Himself's Key lime pie had rather too much cinnamon in its crumb crust, but the filling was fine.

Pappadeaux is big and noisy, and as mentioned, they take no reservations, but it was fun to sit among tables filled with people loving their lobsters. Hot lobsters and cold martinis made a very nice birthday dinner indeed.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
798 W. Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights
847/228-9551
(They also have a location in Westmont)

The waiter told me, however, that some people just eat the tails, and throw the rest away.

Several years ago, I was in the Boston area at the height of summer lobster shack season. Most of the people there ate the tail meat and claws, then tossed the rest away.

Last year, my Dad dined at the 95th, or whatever it is called today, at the Hancock Tower. He ordered the whole maine lobster, he received the tail and two claws with no other body parts. When my Dad inquired where is the rest of the beast, the waiter explained nobody eats them so they are no longer presented. As a peace offering, they delivered Dad at least one extra claw, if not two.

I learned how to eat a lobster from the old Julia Child French Chef series, daily noon time watching for many years. She treated the swimmerettes or little legs as her appetizer; then ate the tail, not neglecting to extract the meat from the tail's fan; the claws, the tomalley (green colored, it's the liver); roe, if there is any; then disassemble the head to reach into every nook and craney. If I anticipate in advance I will be eating lobster, then I bring a tool for eating crustaceans. I purchased this tool at an Asian market, there is a tapered scoop at one end and a tiny fork at the other. Used correctly, there is hardly any meat left in the crustacean. Of course, I do bring home the shell to make stock because why waste good material?

The most lobsters I have had at one meal was 4-1.25 lobsters. It was a one-of all you could eat lobster for a mere $14.95 period.

I forgot to mention the price. The Pappadeaux all-you-can-eat lobster is $34.95.

I ate there this evening. I thought the Androuille and Seafood Gumbo was pretty good. It wasn't the BEST I had ever had, but I have had a lot worse in Louisana on occasion.

Nice portions and reasonable priced. Also, the waitstaff was very attentive without hovering.

Just FYI
The Pappadeaux in Arlington Heights has All you can eat lobster for 34.95 again going on now. don't have a review, but just got the e-mail

gocubs88 wrote:Just FYI
The Pappadeaux in Arlington Heights has All you can eat lobster for 34.95 again going on now. don't have a review, but just got the e-mail

It's Thursdays only after 5PM. Dine in only. Only states "for a limited time".

Pappadeaux website says the all-u-can-eat is $39.95 at the Arlington Heights address.

I am one of the odd ones, that do not care for lobster. But my wife.... another story. We ate at Pappadeau last Thrusday, and my wife had nine. The time before that, last November, she did six, but she said those were larger. She brings two tools with her, a pair of kitchen shears, and a wallpaper seam tool. I bring a book. She cuts off the ends off the legs, lays it down on her plate or platter, and uses the roller to force the meat out.

While talking to a waiter, he mentioned that for the first night, 3 weeks ago, they only ordered 600 lobsters. They had to take the expensive ones out of the tank in front to fill orders, by the end of the evening. For the second week, they ordered 1600 lobsters, and used most of them before they closed. In the past they run this special for four to five weeks. It is also offered at other Pappadeux' in other cities, but not at the same time.

The record for Arlington Heights is 34 lobsters, or so I was told.

I love the salmon grilled with a lemon, butter, caper sauce.

I'm not sure it is a good idea to gorge on any seafood given the limited supply.

I realize lobster fishing is tightly controlled in the US waters, but still.

EvanstonFoodGuy wrote:I'm not sure it is a good idea to gorge on any seafood given the limited supply.

I realize lobster fishing is tightly controlled in the US waters, but still.

I agree...hopefully Pappadeaux participates in the "if it doesn't sell, release program" which takes those lobsters, rehabilitates them for life back in the wild, then returns them back into their original environs to live out their lives in peace.

"if it doesn't sell, release program" which takes those lobsters, rehabilitates them for life back in the wild"

How does one rehabilitate a lobster that has been out of it's home waters for probaby less than 72 hours?

Or am I just not getting it?

jimmya wrote:"if it doesn't sell, release program" which takes those lobsters, rehabilitates them for life back in the wild"

How does one rehabilitate a lobster that has been out of it's home waters for probaby less than 72 hours?

With some garlic butter sauce.

mclarksox wrote:

jimmya wrote:"if it doesn't sell, release program" which takes those lobsters, rehabilitates them for life back in the wild"

How does one rehabilitate a lobster that has been out of it's home waters for probaby less than 72 hours?

With some garlic butter sauce.

I won't be able to hear "garlic butter without chuckling for a long time. And Thursday cannot arrive soon enough,