Cosi Brings the Lobster “Roll” to Midtown

Having lived in Boston for 9 years, I am very familiar with the lobster roll. I’m also very familiar with the cheap lobster roll. That’s because when summer rolled around, cheap lobster rolls would pop up in the unlikeliest of places. The most well know was probably from the sub chain, D’angelos. It has become so popular they now offer three different versions. And then of course there is the McDonald’s lobster roll. That’s right. In parts of New England, you can get a lobster roll at McDonald’s for $6. Scary. (But still better than eating a Big Mac)

Having a lobster roll at a place like McDonald’s for less than $10 can really make you wonder- “What the hell is in this thing?”. But a real lobster roll is pretty simple. It’s just lobster meat served in a hot dog roll. From there, the argument will begin as to what makes the “perfect” lobster roll. Mayo or no mayo. Lemon juice or no lemon juice. Celery is sometimes added, and often a layer of lettuce can be put under the lobster meat or salad. Grilling the hot dog bun first, and brushing it with melted butter can’t hurt either. But there is one thing that everybody can agree on- the more lobster (and the bigger the chunks), the better. Claws always welcome!

Unfortunately, the more meat in the sandwich, the more expensive it’s going to be. That’s why a good lobster roll will usually run you $14-18 in New England, with many fancy New York restaurants charging upwards of $25+ for their version. While some purists would never eat a fast food lobster roll, some of us more frugal diners want to be able to experience that taste, without dropping a ton of money. So when Cosi introduced their limited time only “Lobster Salad Sandwich”, I was pretty excited.

What it looks like, what it tastes like and the mayo filled +/- after the jump…

I hate spending $8 on a sandwich for lunch, but for some reason it doesn’t bother me at Cosi. I don’t know if it’s the amazing bread, or their knack for introducing amazing limited time only sandwiches… but whatever the reason, it’s one of the few generic sandwich/salad chains I’ll eat at in Midtown.

A tell-tale sign of a cheap lobster roll is tons of mayo and unfortunately Cosi’s version is no exception. On the positive side, it tastes a little more like a lemon aoli, then straight up mayo- so it’s very tasty. But there is no denying it, the lobster “salad” is drenched in it. There’s no way it’s healthy, and if you are not a fan of mayo you will probably hate this sandwich.

They don’t actually call it a lobster roll, because it’s not served on a hot dog bun- but rather on Cosi’s bread, which is fine with me. Their bread is wider and longer than a hot dog bun, making the sandwich much larger than a traditional lobster roll. The $8.99 price tag is a bit higher than the normal Cosi sandwich, but it’s understandable for something that has lobster in it, and there are some larger chunks of meat- which is always a good thing to see. And people seem to be into it. The sandwich has been selling out by 1:30pm at most of the locations…

As with everything, you get what you pay for- and this Cosi sandwich falls right into that category. If you are a lobster roll snob, there is a good chance you won’t be into the Cosi version- but if you are like me, and just want to have something that is lobster roll’ish for less than $10, you can do alot worse than Cosi. Namely, McDonald’s.

THE + (What people who like this would say)

It’s the only inexpensive lobster roll option in Midtown

I love Cosi sandwiches

I love Lobster

I love mayo

It is slightly better than your average cheap lobster roll. Lots of mayo, but the mayo has very nice lemon flavor. And there are chunks of lobster scattered in the sandwich.

The – (What people who don’t like this would say)

I hate mayo

Too much mayo

Not enough chunks of lobster meat

I don’t like to eat seafood that is priced too cheaply, because it makes me wonder what I’m eating.

Most stores have been running out by 1:30pm, so get there early.