Lobsta Truck - Rollin' New England Style

With probably 20 dining reviews banked in my head from all the incredible stops on my Sabah/Hong Kong trip this holiday, waiting for fingers to unload to keyboard - I still can't help but take a short detour to post about Lobsta Truck.

After an incredible vacation packed with culinary adventure, featuring the freshest of seafood and dishes starring exotic ingredients, I was in denial about the return to the mundane with my first day back at work. Then I realized that Lobsta Truck was going to be in the neighborhood around my office at lunch!

As its name indicates, Lobsta Truck's focus is on lobster - the only food truck out in Los Angeles thus far to build its menu around this delectable crustacean, and most exciting of all, lobster freshly flown in from New England, just like the fresh split top rolls they sit in.

When we got to the truck about a half hour into its service, there was a line down the block, and it didn't seem to be moving.  But everyone in line did not appear agitated - as if they knew the rolls would be worth the wait.

It took us about 35 minutes in the queue before we got to place our order, but we didn't mind once we took one look at the food (although, good thing it was so close to the office - so that we could take the rolls back to work to eat since we will have spent our whole lunch hour driving/parking and waiting). 

I got a Lobsta Roll ($11) and a Crab Roll ($9) - originally intending to keep the Crab Roll in the fridge for dinner.  You can order the rolls with either butter or mayo - so I picked one for each - butter with the lobster and mayo for the crab.  Both were incredible - not only were they stuffed with really big chunks of meat that tasted fresh from the ocean, juicy and sweet, but the bread was also the perfect weight and fluffiness, and perfectly toasted on the outside to add a great crispy crust with each bite. The butter was skillfully controlled to avoid overflow - and I am happy to report that the roll did not in any way feel greasy or heavy at all, but tasted fresh and light. Our only note was that the roll was fairly small (barely longer than my hand), so that it would probably take at least 2 rolls for the average diner to get full.  I ended up gulping down the crab roll as well at lunch, as much because its freshness was irresistible, as that I found I was not really full after the Lobsta Roll.  But otherwise, the seafood was of incredible quality unexpected for a food truck.

I had also wanted to try the New England Clam Chowder ($3.50 cup / $6 pint) as well, but they were sold out before we even got to the order window! 

My co-worker got a Lobsta Roll and loved it - not bad for his first food truck experience!  I also grabbed a Freshly Squeezed Lemonade, a good deal at $2 for a roughly 'grande' size cup - a brilliant pairing with the seafood rolls and for the health-conscious, much better than soda.  Other bottle beverages spotted at the truck include Izze sparkling fruit drinks, root beer and bottled water.

All told, though a bit on the pricey side for a 'mobile' lunch, considering that it's $11 for big chunks of freshly flown in New England lobster and the lovely feeling that gave us of being highrollers - splurging on lobster at an office lunch -  it's a welcome indulgence for this diner.  Can't wait to try the Clam Chowder as well. 

Hope Lobsta Truck rolls into our neighborhood more often!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Lobsta Truck
All over Los Angeles - see Twitter for updates
Twitter: twitter.com/lobstatruck
Website: lobstatruck.com
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