Jason P.
Yelp
On my way to the Sea Wall in the late afternoon on a Saturday, I spied Charlotte's Legendary Lobster and noticed there wasn't a long line. When I parked near the Sea Wall, I Yelp-searched CLL and saw it had 4.5 Yelp Stars with a good number of reviews. I returned after taking some pictures.
When I started my lobster roll order, they asked hot or cold. I'm from Connecticut, which is hot-buttered lobster roll territory, but I was pretty sure the main Maine way is cold. I decided to ask what CLL is most known for. "DEFINITELY traditional!" In CT, that would be hot, but I correctly guessed that he meant cold. I ordered it Maine "traditional".
The good thing about cold lobster rolls, is that it was ready in no time flat. The bread part of the roll was nicely grilled. It was filled with thick, meaty sections of lobster that tasted better and fresher than the best lobster rolls I've had in CT. I assume it had a bit of mayonnaise or dressing to tie it together, but I really didn't notice it. Lobster was the star. I still prefer a hot buttered lobster roll, but I would gladly take this lobster, to make that hot buttered roll.
After I finished, I ordered lobster bisque takeout for my wife. It was very good, but it was not full of big lobster pieces, like I was hoping. It wasn't really priced that way to be fair. Again, the base was very good. Creamy, with a hint of sherry or something, but it was not overly assertive.
I also ordered the Blueberry Bread Pudding to go. The small Maine blueberries were the focus and everything else supported their flavor. The bread had good texture and it came with a maple whiskey sauce. Very subtle. The whole dish was super tasty.
The atmosphere at CLL was very cool. CLL is in an area by itself. There is oversized Connect Four. A wiffle ball field with all the equipment for playing. Free range goats. Umbrella-ed picnic tables. You can hang and play, or just eat.
Great experience. Friendly and efficient service. Great food. Charlotte's Legendary Lobster sets a high bar for the rest of our food experiences on Mount Desert Island.
Five Stars!