Red Hook Lobster Pound and grits
Spending my formative years in Nashvegas, aka Cashville (and that's Nashville for those of you not familiar with the nicknames), it probably meant that I was exposed to a good deal of Southern food. Nope. There was good food at home and the value proposition was great for a high schooler without a job. Free food from Mom was awesome. Also, back then I never knew that it would be useful to know more about Southern cuisine. Really, the only ribs I ever had down there weren't from Memphis; they probably came from Chili's or Tony Romas. I wasn't raised on grits because Chinese people have a different version of a warm, soft, mushy comfort food (read: congee). Now that I'm old and gray, I've taken a liking to Southern food, although I have no idea what's good or what's not. Some people enjoy specific types of grits, and they enjoy stone ground grits. Ask me to identify the difference? Just throw some cheese and shrimp on grits on mine please. What about if you throw some LOBSTER on the grits? Oh, then I'm really all about that!
When I walked by the Red Hook Lobster Pound at the Brooklyn Flea this past weekend, I knew the lobster grits would be for me. The other thing I really wanted to do was to compare the value of the $8 dollar lobster dish at the Red Hook Lobster Pound versus the $8 dollar lobster dish at Luke's Lobster. Which one is more worth it?
As someone with low brow and unsophisticated taste buds, I can't tell you much about the quality of the grits from the Red Hook Lobster Pound. I will tell you that with the lobster, it was mighty delicious. If it wasn't so damn hot on Sunday and I wasn't being bogged down by food from the Atlantic Antic, then I would have actually finished all of the grits. Instead I just ate all the lobster bits and maybe half of the grits. On an empty stomach, this would have been really satisfying.
The difference between lobster grits and a tiny lobster roll is that when you get the roll from Luke's, it's really all about the lobster. Since they aren't too fussy with the dressings, you get to experience the fresh lobster head on. When you put lobster in grits, the experience is more about the fusion of lobster + corn meal. So if you want to spend $8 dollars on a lobster dish, and you care more about tasting the lobster by itself, Luke's is for you. If you care about being full, you would want to get the lobster grits from the Red Hook Lobster Pound.
As for whether this grits eating experience enhanced my ability to discern good grits from bad grits? Uh... I don't know. Maybe I need more lobster grits to find out.
I agree. Eat more grits . . . and lobster.
Jonathan
October 7, 2009 8:55 am
I thought that *was* congee at first glance!
Su-Lin
October 7, 2009 9:06 am
@Jonathan,
Your advice would help make the world a better place. That's why I try to follow it, although lobster is not a cheap thing...
@Su-Lin,
It does look a little like congee, doesn't it? I've never had congee with lobster...
@Jessica,
Shrimp and grits and cheese is probably the best thing ever. The version at The Redhead is pretty good too. Thanks again for the Starbucks giveaway!
Danny
October 7, 2009 9:28 pm
I've had shrimp and grits, at a good ole Southern wedding, but I've never had lobster grits and now I'm going to have to.
Jessica Lee Binder
October 7, 2009 6:30 pm
mmmmm! that looks great!
Steve
October 13, 2009 10:56 pm
Huge fan of Lobster Pound! Glad to know that Luke's isnt comparable--youre the 5th person to say that. Go Red Hook!
Underground Dining
October 15, 2009 11:01 am