Atlantic Canada’s lobster season is officially underway, which means it’s a claw-some time to reel in Toronto’s absolute best lobster rolls. To find the true champion, we brought in two local food captains: Anthony Rose of Fat Pasha and Justin Friedlich of the newly opened Shay. Shell we begin?
Anthony’s Winner: Boujee Buns
Rodney’s Oyster House, 469 King St. W., $45
Justin was won over by the filling, while Anthony loved the big seafood flavour. Both appreciated the generous chunks of lobster, which Justin said gave the soft bun a nice bite. The balance of sweetness and savoury richness sealed the deal.
Justin’s Winner: Shell-ectric Bite
Robot Boil House, 895 Yonge St., $27.99
Corn brought an unexpected twist to this roll, but the lobster itself won over both chefs. Anthony thought the seafood had some of the best flavour of the tasting, and Justin agreed that the filling was well-balanced against the bun.
Green Machine
Light Cafe, 23 Baldwin St., $21.25
With dill and microgreens, this roll had a fresh, green flavour. Both felt the lobster could stand out more, with Justin noting that its flavour was a little lost among the other ingredients. The herbs, while fresh, overpowered the lobster.
Herb Appeal
John & Sons Oyster House, 56 Temperance St., $42
Anthony said this roll impressed him with big chunks of lobster and plenty of filling. Justin liked the generous portion, while Anthony thought it had the makings of a winner but needed a little more seasoning.
PEI-fection
Coast, 51 Eglinton Ave. E., $22.99
This roll had the classic lobster roll look, and its colour caught the chefs’ attention. Anthony said it “looks the most like a lobster roll out of any of them,” and Justin liked the texture of the lobster and how it was cooked.
Bust-a Move
Buster’s Sea Cove, 93 Front St. E., $23.50
The grill marks made a good first impression, but both Anthony and Justin found the bun a little dense and felt there was too much bread for the amount of lobster. Justin also thought the lobster was “a little bit light on the salt and the acid.”