LobsterCraft Opens in Darien - A First Day Look

[UPDATE: RESTAURANT CLOSED] Lobstraft opened its first storefront location today at the entrance to Rowayton on Tokeneke  Road, serving the same menu that many of our readers enjoy from its trucks.  

The interior is nautical-themed with an enormous lobster graphic on one wall, a lobster trap occupying the floor along the other wall, and eight brass colored stools along the perimeter for guests to wait for their take-away or eat on the narrow ledge. The menus adorn the wall behind and over the ordering counter in the middle of the building and the rear half of the space is dedicated to the kitchen.

On opening day all of the rolls were available plus the Lobster Mac & Cheese. I ordered the LBLT ($18) and the Lobster Mac & Cheese ($12) 

The roll was brimming with lobster meat, and was accompanied by the bacon, lettuce and tomato, plus a swath of mayo. The lobster was cooked perfectly. The bacon was crispy without being burned and the tomatoes were sweet. All of the toppings created a great balance to the sandwich.  Overall it was a great sandwich, but I still struggle with the idea that only claw meat is included, especially at this price point.

The Mac & Cheese is the carbon copy of that sold on the truck, and was not to my liking. A few slices of kielbasa and a couple of pieces lobster meat were intermingled amongst the shell shaped pasta, mixed with melted cheese and seasoning. All of the items were cooked perfectly, but the seasoning overwhelmed the entire dish. The scant amount of kielbasa and lobster did not justify the price.

Overall I have the same opinion of the food at the Café as I have of the food from the truck, the rolls are delicious, but the prices across the board seem high. With eight seats and extremely limited parking this new bricks & mortar location will be more convenient for take-away than in-house diners.